Say no to Rape!

Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without that person’s consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or against a person who is incapable of giving valid consent, such as one who is unconscious, incapacitated, has an intellectual disability or is below the legal age of consent.

Rape is a crime of opportunity. There’s no certain way to identify a rapist. Many appear completely normal, friendly, charming, and non-threatening. Research shows that rapists choose victims based on their vulnerability, not on how sexy they appear or how flirtatious they are. The majority of people who commit rape know their victims and, in some cases, are relatives, friends or work colleagues. Rape within marriage and relationships can also occur. Sex is about consent. If your partner or husband has forced you in to having sex with them, this is rape.

Sexual assault isn’t limited to women; many men and boys suffer rape too. Regardless of age or gender, the impact of sexual violence goes far beyond any physical injuries. The trauma of being raped or sexually assaulted can be shattering. Many rape survivors may struggle with PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

It can be extraordinarily difficult to admit that you were raped or sexually assaulted because of the stigma attached to it. Please do not stay silent because when you do, you deny yourself help. Even if you intellectually understand that you’re not to blame for the rape or sexual attack, you may still struggle with a sense of guilt or shame. These feelings can surface immediately following the assault or arise years after the attack. But as you acknowledge the truth of what happened, it will be easier to fully accept that you are not responsible. You did not bring the assault on yourself and you have nothing to be ashamed about.

To prevent rape and other forms of sexual assault, the following measures might be helpful. These include education at schools, social clubs, cultural group gatherings, churches, mosques, through the media and other public enlightenment programmes. These can help to change the behaviour, attitude, beliefs and value system of people. It will also help to demystify the myths and false assumptions about rape and other forms of sexual assaults which may have unconsciously influenced people’s thought.

Finally, while the government enact and implement laws to punish sexual abuse perpetrators, the society at large should cooperate in exposing and curbing the acts of rape and sexual assaults in the community.

Check out this link (https://www.helpguide.org/articles/ptsd-trauma/recovering-from-rape-and-sexual-trauma.htm) to read more on how to help someone recover from rape or sexual trauma. Check out this link for more information (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4111066/)