A young woman gives her account of her encounter with with rapists "I was fifteen, we were coming back from a crossover service. The distance from my church to my house was quite far but because there were no vehicles that night, we had to trek and on such nights with other persons returning from church too, you won't feel the distance. I was in the company of another older girl and a guy. We had passed several boys in the streets burning tyres but none really came close to us. As we went along, people got to their streets and houses and others continued. We got to a point and met some boys like those we passed earlier. Unfortunately, those ones were out for trouble. Before we could pass by the bonfire they built, they quickly surrounded us. There were other persons passing by in groups but nobody stopped to help even when they saw us struggling with them. They pulled us away separately. Two of them dragged me even while I was still struggling with them while others took the other girl and the guy to different places. Because this is my story, I won't be saying what happened to them.
The two guys pulled me to a secluded spot, threw me on the ground and ordered me to pull my skirt. I was crying and pleading while holding on tight to my skirt. When they saw that I wouldn't obey them quietly, they started hitting me and tried to pull the skirt down. While one held me down, the other tried to penetrate but I was struggling seriously with the little strength I had. He made several attempts before they switched places yet they couldn't penetrate. I was already bruised from the friction. When they got tired, they pulled me up and ordered me to follow them. I thought of running but how fast could I run? While I was still thinking, they held my hand and pulled me after them.
I started begging again and they said they were taking me to where the others were.
We got to a garage and they pushed me into an abandoned vehicle. It was dark and I couldn't see clearly but I noticed they were more there and the one who appeared to be their leader was asking them what happened. I didn't quite get what they told him, but he came inside the vehicle and asked them to hold me down. The vehicle was empty of seats so I was lying on my back. Very heavy hands pinned me down. I couldn't move an inch. When he went in, the pain was so strong, I shut my eyes and screamed. When I opened it, I saw blood all over the white singlet he had on. I was a virgin and I knew I had lost it. He ordered them to take me away. I could barely walk. They took me to a brothel, gave me some concoction to drink, then walked with me a little before letting me go. When I got home, the condition I was in didn't even need questioning.
The next day, I was taken to a clinic, tests were done and medications given. Emotionally, I got off quickly, I shut the event out and wouldn't think nor talk about it. But physically, I suffered. For several weeks, I lived on medications and squatting over a bucket of hot water. My vagina was literally on fire. Walking, sitting or any friction at all would set it off. But I couldn't tell anyone. In the long run, I healed.
For years after that, I didn't attend crossover services and I avoided that area. But it's all in the past now, and I believe I have gotten over it."
credit: The Humans of Abuja
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