Hi friends, this is my story and I would be going by the name Cleopatra because I am strong and I am a Queen for going through such a traumatizing experience and reliving it just to tell my story. I want to create awareness and change. I am not embarrassed about it because it is not my fault that some men choose to be animals.
I hope my fellow Queen who has gone through similar experiences will speak up so our sisters and daughters won’t have to go through the same.
PS: this is not the beginning of my harassment, let us take it from the last. Read and share as we create awareness for sexual harassment.
” I’ll be right back,” I said to my roommates before I left to collect my parcel.
It was a dark weekday night, there was a power outage as I counted my steps going out to meet the guy who would deliver the parcel to me. It came as a surprise when he said the parcel was in his home at the back of the stadium and he didn’t bring it along with him. ” What is he then doing here?” I wondered because the sole purpose of meeting with him was to get the parcel.
On his invitation, she decided to go get it from his place at the back of the stadium because what is the worst that could happen? He’s a trusted friend. On the way there, they made small talk and upon getting there, I decided to wait for him outside while he went in to get it. When he came back with the parcel, I started noticing something weird. He is beginning to become touchy and although it was unusual and uncomfortable, I ignored it as an innocent mistake. That was until it started to become real and his grip on me became tighter. It was at that point I realized how aroused he was. He pinned her in place, insisting I let him have his way with me.
I looked around and couldn’t find help nearby I knew I was trapped, and that was when the fear in me shot up. I threatened to shout and call the attention of people in his lodge. His reply struck me when he said, “You came here on your own, what do you expect? Nobody here would come to your aid, you can shout all you want.”
Having no other option, I knelt on both knees begging him to let me go. I knew I couldn’t force my way out of his grasp and no one was coming to help.
After much begging and further struggle, he let me go. He didn’t walk me back, not that I would even want that because wanting to get away from him is more than my fear of walking that place alone, in the dark.
I arrived back at the hostel visibly shaken, I couldn’t look at him the same again. That was the last time we spoke although we see each other every other day in class.
This is not the first of its kind, harassment suffered by students on campus. It might be from their most trusted friends or absolute strangers. Such harassment might come in both physical and verbal forms. Either way, it leaves a bitter taste on the tongues of their victims. Security personnel have admittedly been scattered all around campus but this doesn’t change the fact that some students with innate unholy intentions wouldn’t carry out their intentions.
A HARASSMENT REPORT DESK is implored to be set up around campus and officials tasked with the sole responsibility of handling harassment cases be handpicked.