I am Chisom*, a 28-year-old lady, and this is my story.
My story happened in December last year. I live in a shared apartment with my friend Esther for over three years who is a Lagosian and we have been living amicably without any issues. We have been supportive towards one another and also engage in personal development courses to self-growth.
I went to the Surb-hub of Lagos to celebrate yuletide season with my friend’s family. It was an amazing celebration because her cousin who lives in London was getting married to her boo and all her relatives from within and outside Lagos came in for the joyous occasion. Esther was the chief-bridesmaid and it was all pomp and pageantry, in fact from the introduction, to engagement and wedding was the talk of town for several months. We had the la crème of the society in attendance. You know how we do it in Lagos state and I was grateful to my friend who got the wedding invitee for me because you can only attend the wedding if you have the wedding invite.
After the wedding, the groom had jetted for their honey moon in Maldives and we decided to stay back and relax until January, 2023. We began driving round the town with the family driver, we went on a boat cruise and we were having the best times of our lives until when tragedy happened. On one of the evenings, I decided to go on a solo stroll to a nearby village and while returning, I lost my way on the trail and came across some uncompleted buildings with street touts smoking hemp and drinking spirits. I was afraid, then the one that looked like the ring leader came over and asked what I was doing in their territory, then I told them that I was lost, he laughed out loud and said see JJC meaning ‘Johnny Just Come’, he asked his boys to carry me to their den, then he placed me on the group and commanded them to leave. I tried to scream, he showed me a dagger by his waist and told me, he will use it on me, if I don’t cooperate, so I told him to please not harm me that I will cooperate and he immediately grabbed my throat and pushed me to the floor, with one hand, while he used the other hand to remove my clothes. He pulled down his trousers and raped me. He repeated it again, and raped me thrice. Then he called his men, to give me water because I was struggling to breathe, his boys also wanted to have a feel of me but because of the state I was, he asked them to leave. Afterwards, he threatened that if I ever tell anyone about it, he would end my life and then he ordered his boys to drop me off at the main-road.
I was grateful to be alive, I waved a taxi down because they took my phone from me and pleaded with him to take me to my friend’s house, the cab man was afraid to help me but he later felt pity for me. Upon getting home, Esther who was surprised to see me looking tar-tarted hit the cabman before realizing he was my helper. she took me in, gave me water to drink and asked me to narrate my ordeal after apologizing and paying the cabman, she even dashed him extra cash for helping me. After hearing my story, she called the DPO who was a family friend and he asked us to come to the station and write a statement and there, we were the referred to WARIF Centre from the police station.
At the Centre, I received medical assessment, treatment and psycho-social counselling for free. The staff at WARIF Centre are very professional and dedicated in the discharge of their duties. My counselling sessions with the in-house counsellor was very helpful and impactful, I was encouraged that it was not my fault and taught coping mechanisms for dealing with trauma. Less, I forget, I attended the monthly group therapy session at WARIF Centre and it helped to build my sense of belonging and self-esteem and I know that I am not alone.
It’s over a year now and I can confidently say, I am in a safe space mentally, emotionally and psychologically. I have resumed back at work and I met my spouse after this ordeal and he proposed to me last week and in short, I feel liberated and I see the light at the end of the tunnel. For the touts, I must commend the police for the laudable job because they conducted a search which led to the arrest of the touts and destruction of their den. The perpetrator and his cohorts have been charged to court and I am sure the perpetrator will be convicted the next court session and sentenced for crimes committed against me.
I look forward to becoming a Gender based Advocate and I am living a transformed life.
Many thanks to the WARIF Team!
-End-
* Real name of survivor changed for confidentiality
Dear survivor, please know that you are not alone, and it is not your fault. Help is available. If you have been raped or know someone who has, please visit us at:
The WARIF Centre
6, Turton Street, off Thorburn Avenue, Sabo, Yaba.
or call our 24-hour confidential helpline on
0800-9210-0009
For questions or more information please contact: info@warifng.org
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