"I was raped"

'Where are you coming from? Where have you been? Library again? You this girl will not kill yourself with books, I have told you several times to stop staying late in the library. Don't worry my dear you will pass the Bar exams. I need you to rest.' ...That was what my lovely mother was saying as I walked through those doors into the house. How I wish she knew how shattered I was. I couldn't tell her what just happened to me some hours ago. My mother grabbed me a towel and she wrapped me up, I was soaked from head to toe. I went to my room to take a wash.

I was at the bus station waiting for a bus when some guys came to join me. As time went by, they started teasing me, calling me names like 'Sister Mary' 'how good are you on bed?'. At first, I was scared but I prayed and wished a bus could come quickly. As time goes by the teasing started annoying me, then a lanky dark guy grappled me. Before I knew it the other guys joined and they took me into the bush. At first I was shouting, screaming, yelling doing all sorts to make me forget the horrible ordeal that was happening to me but I lost my strength. All I felt was pain. I never wished my first time will be this painful. Every girl's wish is that her husband breaks her hymen; mine was broken by some guys that I do not even know. Guys I do not know whether they had STD's or AIDs... I passed out I guess.

I woke up with pains, it was raining heavily. I guess that was what woke me up. I wished death had taken me away to a land of no return. How do I face my parents, family and friends? Who do I tell what just happened to me? I cried my eyes out wishing the ground could open up to swallow me. I have heard of people being raped but I never knew I would be a victim one day.  I summoned courage to go home to tell my family what just happened to me. Buses started flooding the street, I was so angry. I was thinking 'where were you when I needed you?’.

I rang the bell; I was greeted with a warm lovely smile from my mom. I thought to myself 'why should I turn this smile to sadness?' She got me a towel and gave me a cup of hot tea. I was crying deep inside me, I couldn't tell her what just happened. I went to my room to take a wash. I cried, cried and cried till I fell asleep.

I was so weak and tired the next morning, I stood up to say my morning prayer to God, to ask him why he allowed that horrible act happen to me his one and only lovely daughter. I screamed and cried while praying, I poured out my heart to God to show me a way to move on with my shattered life. My mum ran to my room when she heard me screaming 'What is my dear?' she said in my native language. With tears in my eyes I hugged my mum and told her everything. She cried and told me everything will be fine. She said she was going to call the police but I told her not to let the world know what just happened to me.

For days, week, months, my mum was always there for me, she followed me to the hospital to flush my womb. I did various test to make sure I didn’t get any kind of disease from those guys. She was always soothing me. When I couldn't study for my Bar exam, she will encourage me to strive hard. I was so sad that I always blamed my Bar exams for what happened to me. I finally took the Bar exams and to my surprised I passed. I started getting calls from law firms saying they will like to employ me. It then dawned on me that I should become an activist for women and children. I went online to Google up organization, law firms that fight for women and children.

3years after, I am sitting in my office sharing my story with you today. I became a Family law attorney; I fought cases for women, ladies and children that have experienced my type of situation. Now I know what God had in store for me, he wanted me to be an advocate for women, ladies, and children without voices. I became an advisor for people that could not face the world, I made them understand that no matter how bad your situation you can always achieve your goals. I held lectures in schools, mosques, churches, offices and conferences to enlighten people about things they didn't know about rape victims. People usually blame rape victims for the act that happens to them, but that is not right. You cannot blame people for what happens to them, no one ever wishes to be rape.

Rape is a horrible experience I always wish I could forget but it keeps coming back once in a while. With my experience as a victim and a lawyer I can now give women of all ages who have been through my experience voices to fight for themselves, to let them know they don't have to keep it a secret like I did, they should come out so we can all fight and say no to RAPE.  I am so euphoric and comfort with the fact I am playing a big part in the war against Rape and the abuse of women, ladies and children of all ages so that they don't have to walk through the door like I did many years ago with sad tears in their eyes. Sharing my story made me feel a lot better and I hope you share yours.

Say No to RAPE! Say No to RAPE!! Say No to RAPE!!!