EX-BEAUTY QUEEN DECLARES WAR ON RAPISTS

Ex-beauty queen, journalist, writer and author, Karen Eloke Young has declared a war on all misogynists, male-chauvinists, male-sexists, etcetera, who do not have any respect for the female gender. Recently she took to twitter to narrate her experiences of sexual harassment in the hands of men. The particular incident that sparked her latest outrage was her experience in the hands a certain landlord whom she wanted to rent a house from. Apparently, she had paid the prospective landlord the sun of two million naira for the house and was waiting for the house to be put in proper shape before moving in. The landlord demanded a letter of identification from her company but she did not bargain for what transpired when she went to present the letter to the landlord. The man, she narrated, locked the doors, started groping for her breasts and even tried to kiss her.

While she didn’t tell us how she escaped the claws of the beast, it is apparent that the man could not carry out his wish but she was stunned when some days later, the landlord gave her a cheque for the money she had earlier paid him as rent. His reason for returning her money? He wanted a married couple, not a single lady. Her anger was aggravated when the agent who helped her secure the house insulted her by asking her to go and get herself a husband.

I feel I should ask a few questions at this juncture. What was the landlord expecting from her? That after paying such a huge sum, she should still sleep with him before she could move into the house? (And I am very sure that if that had happened, it would not have ended there. He would continue to go back to her again and again to satiate his lascivious desire.) I’m still wondering what made the landlord think he had the right to pounce upon a lady against her wish (even if the lady was his wife). Or could he have thought that the lady would give in to his uncouth demand for carnal pleasure? Or that nothing would happen if he succeeded in raping her? A lot of questions are just running through my mind. If the landlord knew he wanted a married couple in his house why did he allow her to pay for the rent only to return her money for spurning his bestial desire. As for the agent who insulted her because she is not married, may I ask: Does marriage in and of itself bring happiness? Must one get married at all cost just because everyone is getting married? Does the agent have a good marriage?

Karen says she has endured harassment since she was young. She also mentioned that even as a beauty queen, she suffered sexual harassment, this time, in the hand of someone who was supposed to know better. During her reign as Miss Delta, she said she went on a visit to a Commissioner but the visit soon turned into a chasing game, as the said commissioner chased her around the table in a bid to make her sleep with him. She was refused her prize and she in turn refused to hand over her crown and sash. Haba! Why are we like this in this part of the world? Why do males expect ladies to satisfy their sexual appetite before giving them what belongs to them or rendering any help to them? Why do men treat women as sex slaves? Why should females, no matter their ages – because it is shocking to hear what some males do to even very young girl-children – be molested sexually?

Why can’t our society offer adequate protection to the female folk? Can it be because we have been raised to believe that males are superior to females and that females are sex objects?

I think all these current realities in the country are the reasons for Karen’s anger. She says she can no longer take the harassments lying low. She says she has decided to stand against the current social order in Nigeria and that she is ready to fight alone – like a lioness. Karen, who describes herself as an angry woman, is determined to free Nigerian women from sexual slavery. She has declared a total war on all men who think women should be weak, complacent and quiet; men who think the appropriate punishment for misdemeanour is to sodomise women by pouring pepper into their private parts; men who subscribe to Baskethmouth’s recent joke on rape.

I think Nigeria needs more women like Karen, though there are other women who are also taking up the fight. There are also pockets of groups who are concerned about the rights and welfare of women. Women Arise

is one example of such groups. But there is a need for concerted and coordinated efforts by all these personalities and groups. There should be a sustained campaign to ensure that the rights of women are protected in this country. Men should also join in this crusade because these females are our sisters, daughters and mothers. We must get to that stage in Nigeria where assaults, battery, attacks, etc. on women are frowned at and punished severely. This will serve as deterrent to those who believe people men can do anything to women and get away with it.

For all those, who like Basketmouth, think rape is justifiable under any circumstance, Miss Karen Eloke Young has served you a notice.