Every day, people of all ages are raped and it does not only affect the victim, it also affects the family and friends. It often leaves its victims marred for life, both physically and emotionally.
Rape happens everywhere. In some cultures, the women are blamed for being raped and they are punished.
We have been done a massive disservice by keeping the reality of rape in the shadows and this has spurred the rapists to keep on carrying their wicked act.
It turns out a whole lot of people know less than nothing about rape. When it comes to what people think and understand about rape, some have a lot of misconceptions.
Below are some things you should know.
2. Rape is one of the most under-reported crimes: Most women who are raped tell no one about the assault for fear of being criticized and labeled. Victims who have survived rape ordeals have been reluctant to speak about it for reasons such as the stigma attached to having been raped.
3. Rape is an act of power and control and does not happen out of sexual desire: A lot of people out there have sexual desires but they don’t go around raping people. So you can’t blame it sexual desire. If you have the urge, there are people out there who are willing, why force someone unwilling. MUST READ: 10 Things You Need to Know About Consuming Alcohol
4. Mere penetration is sufficient to constitute the offence of rape: Once you fail to prove penetration, the offence either becomes attempt to commit rape or indecent assault.
5. It’s not your fault: No one asks to be abused unless maybe you have problem. Therefore, the line of thought which blames the victim for what happened instead of holding the rapist accountable for his crime is wrong. Rape victims often times, blame themselves, believing it was because of something they did or did not do. What happened to you was a crime and you are not to blame for the assailant’s behavior.
6. Having carnal knowledge or sexual intercourse with a girl of less than 14-years even with her consent is rape because consent is immaterial here.
In the Northern part of Nigeria the definition of rape as contained under Section 282(1) of the Penal Code provides that: “A man is said to commit rape who … has sexual intercourse with a woman in any of the following circumstances:- (a) against her will; (b) without her consent; (c) with her consent, when her consent has been obtained by putting her in fear of death or of hurt; (d) with her consent, when the man knows that he is not her husband and that her consent is given because she believes that he is the man to whom she is or believes herself to be lawfully married; (e) with or without her consent when she is under fourteen years of age or of unsound mind.”
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7. If you force your spouse, it is rape: Many countries including Nigeria consider sex in marriage an absolute right of the husband which can be taken with or without the consent of the wife. The very act of a woman refusing sex is unthinkable. Whether we agree or not, this is the truth.
Here is what the law says: Section 282, Cap 89 Penal Code Laws of the Federation says: “A man is said to commit rape who has sexual intercourse with a woman in any of the following circumstance: against her will; without her consent; with her consent, when the consent is obtained by putting her in fear of death or of hurt…”
In the South of Nigeria, the meaning of rape as enshrined in section 357 Cap C38 of Criminal Code states: “Any person who has unlawful carnal knowledge of a woman or girl, without her consent, or with her consent if the consent is obtained by force or by means of threat or intimidation of any kind, or by fear of harm, or by means of false or fraudulent representation as to the nature of the act or, in the case of married woman, by personating her husband, is guilty of an offence which is called rape.”