Tennis star's tell-all of abuse will inspire but leave you in tears

March 11, 2018 7:38 PM

Oshonaike revealed the shocking tale of how she had been sexually abused and battered, impregnated, lost her boyfriend to armed robbers, amongst other travails.

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The tennis player took to her Facebook page to share the trials that she has faced and I must say, I am speechless for many reasons.

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She revealed the shocking tale of how she had been sexually abused and battered, got pregnant, lost her boyfriend to armed robbers, amongst other things.

Truth is, many people have been through less and have given up but not Oshonaike.

Stories like Oshonaike's are the reason we can only be grateful that we look nothing like what we have been through.

Read her post below:

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You better believe that we will be rooting for her come 2020. Girl Power!

Nigerian women speak on rape and sexual abuse

It would have been appropriate to first give statistics of rape cases in Nigeria but that would be far-fetched - even economic policies are drafted without correct statistics.

What is certain, however, is that Nigerian women and children get sexually assaulted nearly on daily basis and they dared not speak out for fear of stigmatization and prejudice.

ALSO READ:Centre records 66 sexual assault cases

All that is changing now, as more Nigerian women and other victims across the world are speaking out, boldly.

According to a national survey carried out in 2014 (which is believed to be underestimated), one in four girls experience sexual violence before the age of 18.

The survey reported that of those who experienced sexual violence in childhood, only 38% told someone about it - and as few as 5% sought help.

The #Metoo movement, a viral hashtag used on social media to help demonstrate the widespread prevalence of sexual assault and harassment of women, has played a major role in the 'speaking out' development.

In Nigeria, where many victims suffer in silence, these women are using the opportunity to tell their horror stories.

Read one account below:

Chichi Ogbonnaya was defiled at 10 years old by an 'uncle'.

"This man was respected in our church and I called him 'uncle,'" she said.

Ogbonnaya was sent to live with the man by her mother, who could not afford to take care of her.

"He made me lie on top of him while his wife was away. He tried to penetrate me but when he could not, he went to get something that looked like a lubricant," she recalled the first incident with the man.

"He told me to stay calm and be quiet. I didn't know what was happening," Ogbonnaya said.

Ogbonnaya told CNN she remembers him handing her "the blood-soaked sheet to wash before his wife returned."

The abuse continued for five years until she was 15.

She is also speaking out about the assaults for the first time.

ALSO READ: 'Constant rape by my father forced me to flee Nigeria' - Libya Returnee

Ogbonnaya said the man even forced her to have an abortion, which was badly done, and this made her bleed alone in her bedroom.

"Even after I left the house, the act still continued and I just felt it was too late. I was too exposed to a whole lot of things ... I didn't have that sort of relationship with my mum to start telling her this happened to me," she said.

She now works as a program manager for Women at Risk International Foundation, a rape crisis center.