Rape is rape

As if Africa hasn’t had enough of a deadly pandemic that broke out all over the world this year, sexual assault against women have become more in recent times.

It is an act in which a person forces someone to engage in a sexual act against their will. It could be verbal, visual or anything that forces a person to join in unwanted sexual contact.

It includes inappropriate touching, vaginal, anal, or oral penetration, attempted rape, child molestation or rape. Amongst these mentioned, rape is the most heard of as there have been several victims of rape this year both in the country and Africa at large.

Rape includes gang rape, date rape, prison rape, child sexual abuse, just to mention a few. This distasteful act is condemned by all but its perpetrators keep on committing it under the dark. Most of the girls assaulted are teen and vulnerable ones who can’t stand up for themselves or even some who fear their rapist.

Rapists aren’t only strangers but also a rapist could be the victims own father, brother or a relative as it has been the cases in most rape cases.

The cases of rape in Africa and the world at large has become very disturbing as they keep on increasing every day with some of the accused punished of their crimes and some others fleeing away from the hands of the law. For a very long time, indecent dressing has been said to be its major cause which many people do not support.

How would ones dress call for her to be raped? Many people ask. That has been the assertion till today. We’re all made to believe girls who were short dresses and expose their bodies tend to be raped more. To a point, it may be a cause as the opposite sex feels attracted and their sexual feelings arouse.

But that doesn’t justify the actions of a rapist. Rape, however, happens because of rapists. Women are raped because men rape them and not because of the dresses they wear.

I also had the notion once that women are raped because of their indecent way of dressing as they may arouse the sexual feelings of the man. But hearing the cases of Muslim girls fully covered in hijab being raped, children in their teens and infant being raped too especially by their own relatives, that assertion I realized isn’t true.

How would a two-year-old baby in a diaper entice a man to make him rape her? This act is greed and lack of respect for humanity.
There has not been a single explanation on the motives behind people committing such an act.

However, some factors have been mentioned as causes; Anger, power, sexual gratification or sadism.

Anger also known as rage is a strong feeling of annoyance or hostility towards someone. An angry is likely to have an increase in the heart rate and elevated blood pressure, which may have physical and mental consequences.

The external expression of anger can be found in facial expressions, body language and physiological responses. Uncontrolled anger in a person can negatively affect the personal or social well-being of that individual. A person who has been angered by another could seek revenge by raping the person especially if it’s the opposite sex.

Power can be said to be the capacity of an individual to influence the behaviour of others. Power could be used by individuals in a right or unjust way.

A person in power would do everything possible to achieve whatever they want from anyone they wish to get. To be denied a favour, a person in power as a way of seeking revenge would tend to rape the person. These victims are threatened by force or violence and may result in giving in to their masters as a matter of fear.

Most people also rape as a way of teaching the girl a lesson for not giving in to whatever they said in the past or just to take revenge from her. Gang rape is mostly a way people repay others for mistreating them or insulting them.

Most boys say they rape girls as a way of warning them to stop wearing indecent dresses, going to nightclubs, staying up late, disrespecting their male friends, flirting etc., all these which they consider as immoral behaviours.

Most males are desired to be held in self-esteem among their male peers and in so doing would do anything, even raping someone.

The force and aggression that goes on in rape have several negative effects on the victim, society and country at large. Victims as a way to protect themselves from rapist try to fight to defend themselves through every possible means they can.

They struggle with all parts of their bodies which ends up traumatizing them. They are forcibly laid down by the masculine fist of their rapist and can’t do anything to defend their dignity.

Others after a long time of struggling to free themselves freeze and give up. They lay down hopelessly and allow for their rapist to do whatever they feel like doing to them.

The effect of rape varies in each person as the victims are all affected in different ways and may recover at different times. The trauma that follows after is worse as it causes severe physical, emotional and psychological problems for the individual. The worst part is being infected with sexually transmitted diseases or getting pregnant with a “bastard.”

Physical effects of rape maybe noticed instantly as the rapist may have used excessive force and violence. Bruising, bleeding, soreness, difficulty when walking, soreness, broken or dislocated bones, sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy are some physical effects.

Victims of rape may also face severe mental problems. Some mental effects of sexual assault are post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) such as flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety and uncontrollable thoughts, depression including prolonged sadness, feelings of hopelessness, unexplained crying, loss of interest in activities, suicidal thoughts, dissociation.

Some emotional effects of sexual assaults are changes in trusting others, anger and blame, shock, numbness, loss of control, disorientation, helplessness, sense of vulnerability, fear, self-blame etc.
Other effects are miscarriage, sexual dysfunction, depression, sexual disorders, reproductive disorders, chronic pain, unsafe abortion, increased risk of suicide.

Society’s treatment of victims has the potential to worsen their trauma.

Most people in society blame the victims as the cause of their plight. Victims are blamed in most cases for having called for the rape as they wear sexually provocative clothing, flirt with the opposite sex etc. The blame tends to be more if they’re raped by an acquaintance or on a date rather than by a stranger.

The first medical response to a rape victim is a complete assessment.

Medical personnel’s are trained to assess and treat those assaulted to ensure privacy and best of treatment. Diagnostic testing and forensic sampling to determine whether the victim has been infected and also to gather evidence against whoever the rapist is.

Psychiatric and emotional consequences can occur immediately after the rape and it may be necessary to treat these very early in the evaluation and treatment. Other emotional and psychiatric disorders may not become evident until sometime after the rape.

Sexual assault against women affects all parts of society which makes the response to its comprehensive. The police must be encouraged to cooperate fully with victims during the reporting process and avoid verbal attacks on victims.

The process must be short to encourage victims to report anytime they are assaulted. There should be a way victims can report when they’re assaulted even before they go to the hospital with the little evidence they have. Victims should make an effort to report to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) with all the evidence they have to aid the police in their investigation.

Schools should also make it a point to educate both sexes well on issues related to sexual health. Males are to be taught more on the effects rape has on the girl child and also girls should learn to avoid doing anything that could provoke the opposite sex from abusing them sexually.