Thursday, 16 October 2014

CORNERED? How To Protect Yourself From Rape In A Concert Or Social Gathering!



Funmi Adegbite (not real names), an HND 2 student of a Polytechnic in Oyo State, attended a concert in the school’s sport-hall, which was organized by one of the big telecommunication companies in Nigeria.

Like most students’ gig, the atmosphere became fired up and most students became ‘high’ – male students began fondling and roughing up some female students much against their displeasure.

Those that were ‘wise’ quickly left the scene for their respective hostels or homes BUT the naive ones, like Funmi, chose to stay back to “I must catch a glimpse of the star performer of the show”, who happened to be Olamide and was billed to perform by 2 a.m.

But before Funmi knew it, one male student (an ND 1 student – far way her junior in school) touched and grabbed her ‘behind’ while pushing his ‘body’ to ‘feel’ hers – she turned, pushed and asked him to “respect yourself”.

He would have nothing to do with “respect” or “seniority” as he forcefully flung her to the ground and in a moment of insanity and I-don’t-care-where-we-are, tore her clothes and “used” her in the crowd much to the annoyance of some female students BUT admiration and hailing from some male students who even wanted to partake in her or ‘attack’ other female students.

What happened afterwards is better imagined than narrated!

This is not the first or last of such party-gone-wild in schools – others, even worse than the cited, have occurred but have been as usually, swept under the carpet while the victims continue to bite their finger nails in regret.





Such attacks are not frequent in schools alone as they have also occurred in religious gatherings and places – particularly in campgrounds – point is, ‘rape attack’ is an everywhere ‘thing’!
Since rape occurs in social gathering, how can one protect herself/himself?
While you can never completely protect yourself from sexual assault, there are some things you can do to help reduce your risk of being assaulted in social situations.

·        When you go to a social gathering, go with a group of friends. Arrive together, check in with each other throughout the evening, and leave together. Knowing where you are and who is around you may help you to find a way out of a bad situation.
·        Trust your instincts. If you feel unsafe in any situation, go with your gut. If you see something suspicious, contact law enforcement immediately.
·        Don't leave your drink unattended while talking, dancing, using the restroom, or making a phone call. If you’ve left your drink alone, just get a new one.
·        Don't accept drinks from people you don't know or trust. If you choose to accept a drink, go with the person to the bar to order it, watch it being poured, and carry it yourself. At parties, don’t drink from the punch bowls or other large, common open containers.
·        Watch out for your friends, and vice versa. If a friend seems out of it, is way too intoxicated for the amount of alcohol they’ve had, or is acting out of character, get him or her to a safe place immediately.
·        If you suspect you or a friend has been drugged, contact law enforcement immediately. Be explicit with doctors so they can give you the correct tests (you will need a urine test and possibly others).

This is an excerpt from ‘Breaking the Silence’ - there are more useful tips and information on “how to protect your kids from sexual abuse at school, home or anywhere). It was written by Esther Ijewere-Kalejaiye with the forward written by Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, member of the Federal House of Representatives and currently, Chairman of House Committee on Diaspora Affairs.
The book has been endorsed by the Lagos State Deputy Governor.

For more information on this book sale, or for information on how to support the C. A. R. E (College Acquaintance Rape Education) Project by donating copies of  this book to schools, please call any of these numbers: 0806 865 3263, 0805 786 1285, 08102 678 442.

No comments: