RAPE in my Country

Rape Culture is not a myth, until we are able to admit that we have a rape culture we will not be able to curb this menace. We live in a society where rape culture is treated as a norm, we see and hear of it on a daily basis like it were something so ordinary and this has turned from a silent epidemic to a loud chanting epidemic screaming right in our faces.
Hardly can a day pass by without a confirmed case of rape, remember most of the confirmed cases are the few reported, some were figured by accident and some never get reported.

Rape culture is the social environment that allows sexual violence to be normalized and justified, fueled by the persistent gender inequalities and attitudes about gender and sexuality. Naming it is the first step to dismantling rape culture – RAPE IS RAPE!

Every day we have the opportunity to examine our behaviors and beliefs for biases that permit rape culture to continue. In most cases the rape victims do not report for the fear of stigmatization, family reputation, culture, ethnicity, religion etc which makes it even more pathetic.

Without the help of Google, Wikipedia or Merriam Webster – What do you understand by RAPE?
These are response gotten from people while discussing the term RAPE with them

1. Sexual relation with the opposite sex without their consent and it is usually forceful too.
2. Rape is forceful sexual intercourse.
3. Rape is a sexual relationship without consent.
   The watchword there is "force" and "consent", whether the victim is a friend, a girlfriend, a wife, a sex worker etc, there is no justification for RAPE.

Dangers of RAPE
Physical – Sexually Transmitted diseases, Pregnancy and most especially physical pains and bruises when there is a use of force (and of course most perpetrators use force except in cases where drugs are used to numb the victim)

Mental/ Psychological – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, Emotional Numbness, Disassociation, Fear, Shame, Embarrassment, Guilt, recurrent nightmares, abnormal behaviors etc.

Spiritually – Irrespective of religious leanings, there is often a disconnect in the mind.

Unreasonable Myth of RAPE
1)You can’t rape a sex worker.
2}You can’t rape your partner.
3)Once a man is sexually aroused he cannot help himself.
4)If you didn’t fight back you were not raped.
5)Women should stay off the street.
6)Women should not reveal their skin.
7)Boys will be boys.
8)Boys cannot be raped.
9)She enjoy sex.

1. She dresses indecent.
2. She ignored my advances
   These can go on and on as the case may be.

WE NEED TO STAND IN UNITY
It is without doubt that rape affects us all irrespective of culture, religion, gender or whatever and we must understand that everyone was born free according to the universal declaration of rights 1948; the rights of everyone based on the idea of human dignity, Rights to life etc. Why then should someone’s rights be taken?
In spite of the penalty for rape, it still thrives, because of legal bottlenecks, technicalities, and unwillingness of victims to pursue their cases to logical conclusions.
Everyone gets raped be it a male or female, young or old, rapist do not think about age or eligibility, they only think of their sexual urge which ends up destroying peoples lives.

As you read this content, lets make it our duty to help in the campaign against RAPE by sharing this to our family and friends as a means of sensitizing our subconscious mind and don't forget to upvote.