Effect of rape on victims

The act of rape has always been and still is a violation of rights of the victim, be they male or female, there are no words great enough to describe the trauma that the victim(s) pass through after such gross act is done to them.In our society, it seems like rape is looked upon as […]

The act of rape has always been and still is a violation of rights of the victim, be they male or female, there are no words great enough to describe the trauma that the victim(s) pass through after such gross act is done to them.
In our society, it seems like rape is looked upon as normal in the eyes of some people who have not experienced it. Even some of our law enforcement officers do nothing when cases of rape are brought before them, probably because they think the victims are lying.
According to a survey carried out by the National Centre for the Prosecution of Violence Against Women in the USA, only an estimated two to eight per cent of rape accusations are false. As for the rest of us, we do not really react to issues of rape except when it comes to our doorstep directly, like we do other issues.
When people are raped, something happens to them, it makes them different from what they used to be, prior to the terrible act of being raped. It messes up their bodies,  minds, psyches, and they become lost in a big world, where everyone is only concerned about themselves and those who can give them something back for their concern, a world where only few people actually feel the pain of their fellow man and are willing to do something to ease the pain.
Most times, rape victims feel as if they are all alone in the world, like those around them are oblivious to their pain and because of this, they may be leaning towards self-harm so they could rid the world of their presence as they no longer see anything good in themselves.
In the same vein, it is not restricted to a particular gender or age as the worst kind of sexual assault is the one involving children. In other words, parents and guardians need to be extra careful and vigilant.
Perpetrators could be relatives, friends, strangers, teachers and people in religious circles. It matters not whether the child is male or female, it matters not to perverts, they are just out to corrupt the defenceless in whatever way they can, children are innocent and their innocence need to be protected at all costs, society owes that to them.  
All rape victims have to deal with so many issues when they get molested, foremost of them being shame and blaming themselves for what happened, regardless of their age. At that point where they are doubting their self-worth, they need assurances from loved ones and friends.
So they do not need to be shamed by those around them, who may blame them for making themselves available to the act or asking for it in one way or another or casting the act aside as normal or protecting the perpetrator(s) because of their status in society.
The issue could be said to rouse various viewpoints amongst people in society, all of which lean towards how serious the issue is.
Afeez Salami, a civil servant, says, the act can occur even without intercourse and constitutes both physical and psychological trauma to the victims and most times, victims do not come out because of the stigma attached to it.
According to him, provisions must be made by lawmakers for rapists to suffer prison sentences as a form of deterrent and also as a way of encouraging victims to come forward and report their cases.
 The authorities arm must also take the act seriously and stop making fun of those who have suffered from such. Victims should also be catered for and accepted by everyone in society, people should stop discriminating against rape victims, no matter the lifestyle they had prior to the occurrence of such act.
 Alexander Azubuike, a Journalist, says, from what he has learnt, rape is one of the main reasons for many unwanted pregnancies. He opined that rape has a ripple effect on society because so many prostitutes are on the streets hawking their bodies as a result of filthy encounters of sexual torture earlier on in their lives, usually by trusted adult male figures within their family or social circles.
Ogechi Okenwa, a Beautician, says rape is a very serious issue and affects every aspect of the victim’s life especially the social aspect. As regards health, she says there may be a series of infections incurred during the act and the victim will have to live with that, and also deal with the complications arising from an unwanted pregnancy and the desperation to get rid of it.
She said the victim may also never truly enjoy intimate relationship anymore, all these affect society in terms of insecurity for women and the reduction of their value and makes them inferior to the male folk.
There is nothing normal about being forced as a minor or an adult to have sexual relations with someone or a group of people and for those around us that have been through such, we need to embrace them as accepted, not cast aside and we also need to stop blaming victims and start blaming rapists.
Eremionkhale writes from Abuja.