I RAPED HER

My name is Ene, from Benue state, I'm a 13-year-old girl. I'm now confined to a wheelchair after my 55-year-old father repeatedly raped me. At an early age, my dad and mum decided that they could no longer continue with their marriage, so they both went their separate ways. When it happened, my mum wanted to take all of us with her, but I refused to follow, I wanted to stay with my father, because he was so fond of me, and I also love him as a child will love the father. I'm the second girl of three that my parents gave birth to. I grew up knowing Dad's to be someone that protects and cares a great deal; but my own protector given to me by God became my tormentor. For a while, I hadn't been going to school, because my so called dad says he does not have money for my school fees, that I should wait for a new term. I agreed as the respectful child that I am, but while waiting, I engaged in going to the bush to cut down firewood and sell to make ends meet. I was helping out at home and also saving for my school. It all started one fateful morning, January 25 precisely when I was ready to go to the bush, my Dad asked me to stay back that I'm working myself out, he talked me into sitting on his thighs encouraging me and telling me that he would provide the money that I needed - that I should just give him a little time, he began to rub his palm on my back, which I thought was just an act of petting; after a while he touched my breasts and said "you are beginning to grow into a beautiful girl, it was becoming weird, but he is my father anyway, so I just kept quiet and a shying smile was written all over my face. He stood up carrying me up in his arm to the other room, and lay me on the bed flat. He saw a mark above my kneel cap, and asked me how I got myself injured like this, I replied "it was from one of my wood cutting". He then raised my skirt up to the point where he could see my pant and the shape of my private part, I said "Dad what's this?!" He said: "I want to check your body if there is any other injury". My father would later asked me to sleep on my chest. Before I knew what was happening, he gently removed my pants down. At this moment, it became so weird and frightening, and I said: "I don't have any injury. And as I was struggling, he ensured he overpowered me so I couldn't move a muscle. Immediately he took my pants off, I pushed my skirt down, wanting to dash out of the room, but he stood by the door and locked it. I cried out loud: "Daddy please" and he shouted: "keep quiet so that the neighbours won't hear you scream" before I could blink my eyes, my so-called dad had undressed himself right before me and walked towards me. I was terrified. I moved to one edge of the bed, and he got hold of my leg and drew me towards him, exposing my private. And he forced himself into me, de-flowering me. It was so disgusting, but no one to save me. After he was done, he stood up and go handed me a toilet roll to clean myself. I was still crying profusely, when he took the roll and started cleaning me up. So I collected it from him and clean myself. When I summoned the courage that I was going to report, I banged at the door severally, but he refuse to open the door. My Dad cooks and brings food for me. He will open the door, drop the food and lock it again. I became so afraid. Three days later, he came back again, this time making it the sixth time he will be raping me. When I saw him, I almost fainted. The first thing he said was "if you ever tell anyone about us, you will die" and apart from that, that I should imagine the shame. This time I knew I had no option, so I allowed him come into me freely. My mum was always coming around, She was expecting me to visit her this time and it was two weeks past our agreed day of visit, and she was worried and decided to come to the house. Luckily for me, he was not at home. So as soon as I heard my mum's voice, I screamed and begged her to help me. She broke the door down, and came to me. She took me away as I struggled to walk properly so she carried me all the way. I narrated the whole story to her. I was still bleeding but little did I know that I'd sustained a life threatening injury. After test was conducted on me, I was told that I have been confined to the wheel chair as I could no longer walk for now. I am also suffering from urinary incontinence since the incident took place now. My Dad is at large, and my Mum has no money to take me to see a specialist as recommended by the medical doctor. I believe if my parents were still together, the incident wouldn't have happened. I pray my Dad gets caught and thrown behind bars for life. I'm crying silently from my wheel chair, but I had to take out time to tell my story, so that teenagers should be able to draw the line whenever they discover that their Dad, Uncle, Brother, or Neighbour is touching them where they are not supposed to. WRITTEN BY SIMPA SAINT SAMSONS