Nigerians share heartbreaking rape and sexual molestation experiences [Audio]

December 2, 2015 6:15 PM

Your Safe Haven is a recently launched tumblr account for Nigerians to anonymously share their personal experience with rape.

Sugabelly

Following the revelation of a brave young woman, there is a new revolution taking place in Nigeria as men and women are stepping forward to tell their stories of rape, sexual molestation, and other varying forms of assault.

Read: Sugabelly’s story is another sad example of Nigeria’s rape culture

Since blogger and artiste, Lotanna Odunze Igwe – Sugabelly, shared the horrifying details of her“rape story”, Nigerians have begun speaking out, breaking the wall surrounding the country’s age-long rape culture of silence.

The stories shared so far are as heart-breaking and spell binding as Sugabelly's encounter, and they also follow a pattern where most of the rapists are intimate partners, family members and friends.

A 2014 UNICEF study reveals that, 120 million teenage girls, which is every one in 10 girls, have either been raped or subjected to other forms of sexual molestation at some point in their lives.

Sadly, children and teenagers in Nigeria are impacted in the worst ways, largely because of the terrible culture against reporting abuse.

Another major part of Nigeria’s rape culture is the belief that non-consensual sex is normal within the confines of marriage, the belief so deeply rooted in our culture that there are no laws provided for the offence or crime of marital rape in Nigeria.

A recent report of UN Women, indicates that only 52 countries have explicitly criminalized rape within marriage.

Quite a number of Nigerian women have had to endure marital rape not only because they feel trapped, but also because the law makes no move to help relieve them of their pain.

Read: Lady claims late Prince Abubakar Audu's son raped her

Today, we believe the story will change as more and more Nigerians are finally willing to face their pain and speak out, bringing about the much needed change we want in Nigeria.

Listen to these touching stories, share and download, and if you are a victim, please join other Nigerians in speaking out via your safe haven.