BELLA (Rape Awareness)

My name is Bella and I'm not AFRAID to say IT.

Should I be scared of talking about what people need to know? Shouldn't I talk about what happened to me while I was in the University of ******, Nigeria? I have thought about it and I want Nigerians, Africans and the world to know about this evil act.

I met Jide when I was in my 200l in the university. Jide was a tall, handsome and intelligent boy but I never knew he could be so wicked and self-centered. I was a student of Mass-Comm and he was a student of Psychology but that didn't stop our relationship from working. Everybody knew about our relationship, girls were jealous and even some gay guys were wishing Jide was theirs. Jide seemed to be the perfect guy, he had everything I wanted in a guy but? I was wrong. He always wanted us to be together, maybe to show me off to his friends? I really didn't know but he always wanted that. Oh, before I forget, I was a VIRGIN when I met Jide ( Yes, a 200l mass-comm girl was a VIRGIN). Making love with guys wasn't the problem but not seeing a guy to sex was my problem but when I met Jide, I knew it was time for me to do it.

I wasn't sure he knew about my Virginity status and I made sure I didn't tell him, all I wanted was for him to find out himself. He was caring, loveable, respectful and proud to have me as his girlfriend. Some of my friends were jealous but I never gave so much attention to whatever they had in mind because i loved Jide so much. "Will you go to club with me this night"? Jide said this to me via a phone call. I didn't know what to reply but I gave a positive answer at the end of the conversation. I looked forward already, told my friends to pick clothes for me so I could choose for the night.

Jide came to pick me up at 9pm in my hostel and we went straight to a club outside school. I wasn't sure of what I was doing, I knew it was wrong but I followed because I loved my boyfriend. "Jide? Clubbing"? Questions popped in my mind as he drove to the unknown club. I killed the thought immediately so I could enjoy myself at the club. We got to the club, been my first time ever, everything looked strange, the slopes, the bar, different people dancing and drinking. I was happy and at the same time scared about the decision I made to follow Jide but I trusted him more. "What will you drink Miss"? Jide asked and I said anything. I drank so much that night I got intoxicated and a part of me knew I was in for something.

Jide didn't bother driving back to school but to his home. We got home and I told him to take me to a room so I can sleep since I was very tired. After some hours, I heard a knock on the door
*He PUSHED ME, BEAT ME & RAPED ME*
I couldn't believe what happened that night and I shed tears all through the night. I was raped by my lover! I was raped by the one I trusted so much! I got back to my hostel and couldn't tell anybody about what happened at Jide's house. I kept shedding tears since I couldn't tell no one. I thought about the mocks that would come from friends and people, the stigma.
I didn't stop bleeding after some days, so I called Jide to inform him about the situation. "Don't ever call me again" that was the only thing Jide said to me on the phone. I couldn't stop the tears from coming down from the eyes, I was cheated on, was taken for granted from the person I loved.

My parents got to know about the bleeding since I couldn't keep it to myself anymore. I told them what happened between Jide and I but Jide denied everything that happened between us when asked by the school authorities. I missed the whole session due to the pain that came from been raped as a Virgin.

Stop RAPE! Men that rape are animals! Take them to Zoo... I had my faults and I regretted them after. Stop RAPE!

Written by Diji Aderogba
Twitter : @realbabymouth