Sun
is shining, the winds are cool, and the happy sounds are engulfing the village
air this day. It is going to be a great day I thought to myself.
“Baby,
come over here and take out the maize,” Mother called after me. That snapped me
out of my awe over nature, but only for a bit. No sooner had I set out the
maize to dry was I now imagining all the fun I would have with my friends.
The
long rains had just ended and this was the first time the sun was out so nice
and bright early.
“Mum,
do you need me to do anything else?” I asked eager to leave.
“No
my dear, you can go,” She voiced after me
I
was super excited to head out and play with my friends.
It
was quite a walk away, but never too far for games, fun and good company. I had
to pass through Mama Anne’s compound, the new construction site, over the stream
behind it to get to the village playing fields where we always met up with my
friends.
When
I got to Mama Anne’s compound, I couldn’t help but call out for Anne, then the
walk would not have to be so lonely. Luckily she was also dressing to get ready
to go to playing fields too. I waited for her outside as I played with the
puppy. She was soon done and we were on our way.
Engrossed
in our banter, we did not see that the stream was ten times its size! When we
got to its shores, we tried to figure out how to cross it. It was break time
for the construction workers. One was seated by the now gigantic stream smoking
away. He just started at us and didn’t say anything. I found him really creepy.
Anne
was not as shy as I was and she proceeded to engage the man in small talk. I
didn’t like the fact that we were wasting time. I also didn’t want to have to
go all the way around to get to the fields. That would have taken another half
hour. I interrupted Anne and asked the stranger,
“Excuse me sir, could you please help us cross
the stream?”
He
glared at me and crocked smile engrossed his face. He answered in the
affirmative, put out his cigarette and walked towards us.
“I
can only carry one of you at a time,” he said.
We
looked at each other and nodded at him. He stated with Anne and took her
across. I did not know what he said to her, because as he was heading back for
me, Anne was running towards the fields. I tried to call after her, but she
didn’t seem to hear me.
Feeling
very freaked out, I decided I should go the long way around. As the man was
getting to my side of the stream, I had already turned away. He yelled at me by
my name. I was stunned. How did he know my name? I had stopped and was looking
at him heading towards me.
He
held my hand and told me to be quiet. The banks of the stream were quite bushy.
He sat down, still holding onto me and asked me to lift my dress and remove my
underwear. I was so scared I couldn’t move. He pulled me closer to him.
I
must have blacked out cause the next time I was getting to my senses, I was
facing away from him, his hands on my waist my underwear at my ankles. I could
feel something hard pressing against me. I was quite afraid and the tears just
rolled down my cheeks. He grunted at me though I never heard what he said. My
tears got worse and I started wheezing.
He
stood up, pulled up my underwear and carried me across the stream, left me on
the other side of the bank and he crossed back. I ran as fast as I could to the
fields. I was still afraid, but the sight of my friends made me super happy. I
wiped away my tears fast so they do not see them.
Seeing
Anne made me angry. I didn’t want to talk to her. She pulled me away from our
other friends and I asked,
“Why
did you leave me alone with a stranger?”
“He
threatened me with a knife, he said if I didn’t leave he would hurt you! Are
you Ok? What happened?”
“Don’t
worry about it, I’m fine now. But NEVER EVER leave me again,” I scolded.
We
hugged it out and returned to play.
It
was soon too hot to play and we all headed to our respective homes for lunch
and more importantly some water. Heading back home, I asked Anne we go the long
way around. She was a little reluctant, but agreed. She took me all the way
home this time, then she headed alone to hers.
I
did not tell my mother what transpired that morning. Hoping it would die and go
away. The afternoon dragged on and later in the evening, dad came home with
some workers. Our house was not quite complete, so we had many workers
‘visiting’. However, they would only come when dad was around.
As
was custom, mother had prepared a tray for the men, and often, I was the one to
serve them. I almost fainted! One of the men I was serving was the stranger
from the stream.
All
around the world, thousands of sexual harassment cases go unreported. In many
communities, children are taught to be quiet and obey without question. As
such, children often do not report abuse cases cause of the threats they get
from their abusers. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines child abuse and
child maltreatment as “all forms of physical and/or emotional ill-treatment,
sexual abuse, neglect or negligent treatment or commercial or other
exploitation, resulting in actual or potential harm to the child's health,
survival, development or dignity in the context of a relationship of responsibility,
trust or power.”
According
to a UNICEF report, levels of violence prior to age 18 as reported by 18 to 24
year olds (lifetime experiences) indicate that during childhood, 32% of females
and 18% of males experience sexual violence. 66% of females and 73% of males
experienced physical violence and 26% of females and 32% of males experience
emotional violence as a child. 13% of females and 9% of males experienced all
three types of violence during childhood. In a household-level survey
of more than 3,000 young people, it found that three out of four children
experienced some form of sexual, physical or emotional violence. Most worrisome
is that violence against children does not appear to be random or
uncoordinated, or perpetuated by strangers: abusers are not only known to their
victims but often have close, personal ties.
Nowadays,
there are many local, international, governmental and non-governmental organizations
geared towards proper education, health, and rescue of victims of abuse and
neglect. There are also rehabilitation centres where the victims can escape to.
