The monsters within

‘Yes, but I needed the exercise. Do you know what is happening next door? There seems to be some commotion there as I was returning now.’ He asked. ‘No I have no idea something is going on there.’ I replied following him into the parlour. ‘Then you better phone them to ask, I definitely saw […]

‘Yes, but I needed the exercise. Do you know what is happening next door? There seems to be some commotion there as I was returning now.’ He asked.

‘No I have no idea something is going on there.’ I replied following him into the parlour.

‘Then you better phone them to ask, I definitely saw a lady screaming uncontrollably as she was being brought out of a taxi and a number of people standing by as if to sympathise. I am not sure what it was but I soon saw her being led into our neighbour’s house. ’ He explained.

‘No problem, I will call Harira as soon as I serve your breakfast inshaAllah.’ I replied, walking into the kitchen to bring his food flasks. But Harira’s phone wasn’t going through when I tried it later. Deeply worried I came out and said to Tahir:

‘I think I will go over and see what is happening. My neighbour’s line isn’t going through. And I am already disturbed by what you saw.’ I said.

‘Yes, that’s what good neighbourliness is all about. You should go and check things out yourself.’ He advised, munching his breakfast. As soon as I arrived, the screams welcomed me into Harira’s home. I immediately recognised it as the voice of Delu, her long time cook. Walking over to sit next to Harira who has her hand on Delu’s back consolingly, I quickly asked what happened.

‘You won’t believe this Bint, but some inhuman scoundrel raped Delu’s last born, her five year old daughter Jummai. ‘ Harira answered in disgust.

‘Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un, you mean little Jummai has fallen victim to this horrible scourge. I am so sorry Delu. This is really a reason to cry. Where is Jummai now?’ I asked.

‘She is at the hospital. They have taken her in for an emergency surgery but Delu was crying so hard they had to send her home. Her sister and other relatives are in the hospital waiting to take care of the girl, because Delu was inconsolable, the nurses advised that we bring her home and calm her down. As you can see she is still in great distress.’ Harira observed.

‘Poor lady, she has a reason to be. This is every mother’s worst nightmare. And the younger your child the more it breaks your heart to know that she has been defiled. Please take heart Delu, be patient and stop crying. inshAllah your daughter will be well again. ‘I said, moving over to her side to sympathise. Delu could only nod her head in reply, she didn’t attempt to speak. ‘Did they give her something to help calm her down?’ I asked.

‘Yes, I was told they gave her an injection after telling her she has to return home to allow the surgery to take place. My husband and I had gone to see the medical director in order to pay for an immediate surgery, by the time we returned to them she had been sent home in a taxi.’ Harira explained.

‘I am very sorry Delu, let’s get you to your room to lie down then. If she continues sitting here she will never be able to relax and injection wouldn’t take effect.’ I said, rising up and helping Delu to stand on her feet.’ With Harira and I on either of her sides we took Delu to her room and got her to lie down. Another house help followed us into the room and sat opposite her bed. Harira and I then left the room.

‘How did it happen,’ I asked as soon as we walked away from Delu’s room, ‘Who was the rapist? When and where did he do it?’ I continued.

‘I’m sure you can’t wait to know more Bint, I felt the same way when I was told of the incident at 8am this morning. I didn’t think such a thing was possible nearby. I mean it’s the kind of thing I read about and say it’s too hard to believe. Yet I can never forget the piercing scream Delu made which made me rush from my room to the kitchen. Neither can I forget what I saw when she showed me her daughter’s private part, it was a horrible sight. I pray never to see such again, more importantly I pray that no little girl ever has to go through what Jummai did.’ Harira explained leading me back to the sitting room.

‘So who did it?’ I demanded.

‘Apparently one jobless louse putting up with our driver in the boys’ quarters. We had no idea he lives here but the children knew him and ironically even Delu was aware of his existence. Only my husband and I had no idea a criminal like that lives here. Anyway this morning he sent Jummai to buy him something from the kiosk down the street around a little after7am. Apparently when she returned he dragged her into the room and raped her. He was alone in the room, naturally, and when the little girl’s screams looked like they will attract others, he quickly dressed up and ran away. Crying and bleeding, Jummai managed to come out of the room and went to her mother in the kitchen.

Her mother thought she had fallen because her lower lip was also bleeding, so totally un-alarmed she asked Jummai what happened. But the girl could only repeat ‘It is Boda, it is Boda.’ For that is apparently the man’s name. When Delu realised that Jummai was in too much distress to say more she simply asked “What did Boda do?” and the girl continued to point at her private part until her mother stopped what she was doing and lifted her dress, the blood she saw was what led to her mighty scream. By then she had gathered from the girl’s tearful explanation that she had been raped by Boda who also had the inhuman audacity to slap her when she began to scream, that caused her lip to bleed. Reaching out for the first knife she could get Delu raced out of the kitchen to the boy’s quarters but Boda had beaten her to it.

Luckily for us also there was no one else in the room because if there had been I’m sure Delu would have killed whoever it was. She rushed to the gate where the guard confirmed having seen Boda hurriedly boarding a taxi and wondering where he was racing to go. She came back and told me everything, crying loudly about how she could ever get her little girl ‘repaired’ after this defilement. We took over from there, rushing the two of them to hospital and arranging to see the consultant paediatrician. He assured us that with immediate surgery she could be made whole again. My husband and I arranged everything and sent for Delu’s sisters so that they could give her the support she needed. Right now the girl is in the theatre. Meanwhile our driver, who is Boda’s friend and the one who brought him here without our permission is already with the police, he is helping them find Boda. And this, Hajia Bint, is the story of our morning nightmare.’ Harira concluded.

‘You are right it is truly a nightmare. I’ve often wondered, whenever I read about rape cases what satisfaction any man can get from forcing his unwanted attentions on a woman. But it is confounding when it happens to be a little girl who is not in any way able to understand what is going on. How can a five-year-old satisfy an adult man, what could he gain by defiling her? Personally i think such hidden monsters are either mad or on drugs. I can’t believe anyone in his right mind can rape a little girl.’ I said.

‘You may be right Bint, but do you know that there are cases of girls younger than Jummai, one, two and three-year-olds are all being raped these days. It is a growing epidemic.’ Harira declared.

‘Then we must confront it with the emergency response it deserves. Under the platform of the Ladies’ Parliament, we have to organise a demonstration and call for urgent action against rapists in this country. We have to do this immediately as well as recommend stiff penalties for them, to serve as deterrent to others. For rape of minors let it be nothing short of castration for the perpetrator. Once he is dispossessed of his weapon, he will be in no position to harm innocent minors and leave them scarred for life.’

‘You are right, even the doctor had said that Jummai will continue to have nightmares for a long time to come. He said we have to arrange psychotherapy sessions to help her with the trauma after the restorative surgery.’ Harira said.

‘Poor, poor little girl. We just have to do something fast. We have to make sure she is the last little girl to suffer this life-long trauma inshaAllah.’ I declared, rising up to go home.