“I was raped when I was ten, and the bitter experience took away my joy and hope”

I am 12 years old. I was raped when I was ten, and the bitter experience took away my joy and hope. I lost my virginity that I planned to keep until I got married.

I was left with pains, agony, shame, anger, bitterness and fear. I was not given an option of sharing the experience with anyone, not even my mother. We are four in the family, and I am in the second born, we are a family full of love. Even with a great background like my family, I still fell a victim of rape.

It all started on a Saturday morning like other days, I was ready to join my mother at her shop, so my elder sister got me a commercial motorist to drop me. On our way, the driver took another route and stopped the bike at a nearby bush. He dragged me to an uncompleted building and forced himself on me. My body was full of blood after he finished with me. He gave me a cloth to clean my body and warned me never to tell anyone, and if I failed to keep to his threat he would not only kill me but also mobilize his group to wipe off my family.  With pains I had to clean myself, but was left empty.  The man that raped me was four times my age.

I became cold, and it was noticeable because I used to be a vibrant person. Everyone was asking me if anything was wrong with me, but I could not share with anyone, even though it was killing me inside.  My teachers at school were disturbed about me and had to invite my parents to ask them what could be the problem, because I could not concentrate at school, my performance at school could not be compared with my result before the tragedy.

God put an end to the horrible experience a few months later, when RCG Foundation visited our school to have a talk on sex education, and gave us opportunity to see their counselors for any issue bothering us. I embraced this privilege, and I was the first person to get to the counseling ground. Even I could not open my mouth to tell the counselor my problem, amidst tears I had to whisper it in her ear, and the rest was history.

Through the word of exhortation, I became calm and I gave my life to Christ. Immediately everything about me transformed and I later went to persuade a friend of mine who was also troubled in some way to attend the counseling session.

Now I am one of the officials at my school fellowship. My hope has been restored, and I am always full of joy. Anytime the incident flash to my memory, I do not feel bitter again.

*Name withheld to protect the identity of author.