The Executive Director, Family and Youth Support Initiative FYSI, Mrs Bukoladeremi Ladigbolu, on Thursday urged young girls to use everything within their power to resist potential rapists.
Ladigbolu stated this while speaking with female students of Igando Senior Community High School, Igando, Lagos State, at an event organised by FYSI to commemorate this year’s International Day of Elimination of Violence Against Women.
She advised the students to read and follow all the tips in her book on rape prevention, ‘Don’t mess with their flowers’, to avoid situations and places that could make them vulnerable to being raped or sexually abused. She said, “When you find yourself in danger of being raped, don’t give up easily. Rather, fight a potential rapist as if your life depends on it.
“Kick, scratch, struggle, shout for help and make sure you don’t panic. Don’t make it easy for a rapist to have his way.”
Ladigbolu recalled her personal encounter with a rapist, who happened to be the manager of a bank she was referred to for employment, shortly after she finished from secondary school, and how she struggled with him for nearly one hour in his office until he became tired and gave up.
She warned the students against allowing any man, including their fathers, male teachers and male colleagues to touch them inappropriately or make sexually suggestive statements about them, urging them to report such to their female teachers, the school counsellor or any other trusted person.
Source – Punch News
