Drugged, Raped, Mocked but Undaunted: I #standwithjada

Jada, a 16-year-old girl, was invited to a party. When she got there, the host gave her a drink of punch and after taking the drink, she passed out and was not aware of every other thing that happened at the party. A few weeks later, she realised that she had been raped and that her photo was taken while she was lying on the ground unconscious. She only became aware of what happened that night when photos of her naked body started circulating on the Internet. As if that was not worrisome enough, some Internet users started taking pictures of themselves mimicking Jada’s pose while she was lying unconscious on the ground and posted those pictures on the Internet with the hash tag #jadapose, which some have termed as a social media low. Some even posted videos, including dance videos to mock her.

But in a rare show of courage, she has decided to come out and speak about the whole incident. Jada, who revealed that she was angry about the whole thing, said, "I had no control. I didn't tell anyone to take my clothes off and do what they did to me." And about her reason for coming out, she said, “There's no point in hiding. Everybody has already seen my face and my body, but that’s not what I am and who I am.”

What is heartwarming is the support Jada has received since she came out to tell her side of the story. These people have also come up with counter hash tags like: #jadacounterpose and #standwithjada with the aim of drumming up support for Jada and also to discourage attacks on the female gender by males. Even the #jadapose meme has been hijacked and is now being used to attack its initial aim.

What is unclear to me is why men see ladies as sex objects who can be had not minding the lady’s consent. Some even believe there are justifiable reasons for rape. I think there should be a serious worldwide campaign against rape like the ones against hunger, child (girl child) education, diseases such as AIDS, polio, malaria, etc. I also think that men should be purposely taught not to give in to bestial instincts and how to redirect their energy whenever they feeling the instincts rising within them.

LET’S ALL SAY NO TO RAPE!

I SAY NO TO RAPE!

I STAND WITH YOU JADA!