Our men and boys have lost their senses of humanity; therefore, they have found pleasure in taking away the dignity of our precious daughters, sisters, and mothers, which has clouded their future. Victims of rape might be left with no option but to live in pain and agony due to the negative stigmatization attached to being a victim of such a devilish act. This hideous act [rape] needs to stop now. It is about time that we as a country (Liberia) stand our ground thoroughly to fight this issue because it is gradually becoming a norm in our today’s setting.
I believe that if the issue of rape will be solved, we need to firstly consider identifying the root causes of rape. From my little research, I have identified the following, which are not exclusive:
- The perpetrators
- The high increase in drugs and substance abuse.
- Lessened and friendly punishment given to rapists.
- Family keeping rape as a secret because they want to protect one of their family members who is the perpetrator.
- The use of monetary power.
- Lastly, most law implementers and makers are fans of the very same act.
I am aware that many would like to know why I listed those few points as the root causes for the gradual increase in rape.
Firstly, I believe that there is no excuse for doing wrong. Therefore, everyone should definitely be blamed for their own actions. No matter what happens before a person is raped, there is not a justifiable reason for one to rape. I often hear people say “they were under the influence of alcohol,” “the victim tempted them by their dress code,” or ” they were under the influence of some kind of drugs.” Sadly, these are not valid reasons for which one should damage another person’s future. Before taking these substances, one should be aware of their adverse reactions and be in full readiness to cope with them.
Secondly, I believe in our today’s society that there are lots of harmful substances on the market which also serve as a catalyst in the increase of rape. Therefore, it is about time that our government put measures in place to remove those drugs from our market and stop them from entering our beloved country. This will not only protect our young females from being raped, but also protect the future of our younger generation as a whole.
Also, the punishment given to rapists these days is one reason why most men have found pleasure in raping. Therefore, it’s about time that death sentence be used as the punishment for anyone who will be found guilty of rape by a court of competent jurisdiction. I am confident that the death sentence will serve as a deterrent to those who might want to do the same; hence, leading to the reduction in the rape crime rate.
Moreover, the issue of family keeping rape as a secret has been one of the major causes for which rape is on the increase. Most times, people will rape and damage a young girl’s future but would settle it “the family way.” Due to this reason, many people find pleasure in raping since they know that will walk with impunity. With this being said, if rape will be abolished, it is about time that families start to report rape cases of any kind. We need a collective effort inclusive of the family. No one would know whether a person was raped if a family or the victim keeps it as a secret for whatever reason.
On the other hand, many people in our society today use their monetary power to protect themselves after destroying a woman’s/girl’s future. Perpetrators of rape should not go free because they have money or influence. No matter the amount of money a person has, they should be dealt with in the same way and manner as those without money or connection with people in higher positions.
With this being inked by me, I want to tell all to say #NOTORAPE.
Authored by: Ebenezer S. Morlia
Featured Image by: Salman Hossain Saif on Unsplash
