If you have been to Africa, you must be aware of how culture is vitalized in all aspects of human life. And when I speak of culture it includes all norms and sanctions that must be strictly adhered to otherwise you get ostracized.
Nairobi, Kenya according to the ministry of health, as of June 23rd rape cases stood at 5,000 cases only during the Covid-19 pandemic. In her address to the nation during the daily briefing of the country’s status of the Covid-19, Health Chief Administrative Secretary, Mercy Mwangangi said this was the least number. If this was the least number, it meant that previous years the number surpassed this range to a greater extent. What does this mean? Out of fear of being ostracized and receiving stigma from society, many rape victims do not speak out, lessening the actual number of rape victims.
There are many cases of girls getting raped by their relatives. And at the end of it, they get intimidated not to speak about it to anyone. The family of the girl either gets paid by the offender and any legal action against him is merely silenced. Who will speak up for this broken little angel who has just lost her virginity to a brutal relative? It is ironically disturbing to find that the same people who should protect you are selling off your dignity and put your life at stake.
With these cases being left at the hands of the elders for adjudication, often the victim is married off to the rapist just to save the family from any defamatory remarks from the society. This lady suffers trauma at the very hands of the same person who sexually abused her. You can imagine the sleepless nights she encounters; who will be able to console her during the many times she will be questioning her own importance to this cruel world?
Finding justice for these victims is among the top priorities that will play a key role in healing the wounded heart of the victim. Second, providing good support, making the victim feel less troubled by the terrifying experience she had before, generating activities which keep the victims engaged and meet their fellow peers and exchange opinions, all these play a vital role in the healing process of the victim. At the Wounded Healers Foundation, you get the real experience of the aforementioned measures taken to aid in the healing process of rape victims.
Victims will be able to go through a leadership mentorship program that helps them overcome any fear within themselves, and through the shared knowledge they get from the program, they will able to help many other unheard cases of rape victims in the society.
#BeautyinBrokennes #WoundedHealers