Shadows of Innocence

ESTHER'S STORY

Esther was 12 years old when a neighbor called her to hurry and buy something for him as she wanted to go and join her family in the church.

When she returned, he followed her inside to make her locate him. Her neighbor then pulled her in and raped her. Threatened into silence, she kept her ordeal secret until discovered she was pregnant. She told her parents the truth about everything that happened and despite reporting the crime to the police by her parents, Esther faced intimidation from some officers at the Suleja station to change her story.

Eventually, the matter was charged to court, but Esther’s challenges were far from over. Her pregnancy was difficult, requiring frequent medical attention and by the time she had put to bed, her parents exhausted their savings and took on debt to cover her medical expenses.

After giving birth, Esther’s mother was glad she delivered without complications however the family faced eviction and her siblings had to drop out of school due to financial constraints.

Initially, Esther struggled to bond with her baby, blaming the child for her circumstances and all the problems her family encountered. Also Fearing for her life due to threats from her attacker, Esther fled.

The Dorothy Njemanze Foundation (DNF) intervened, providing shelter, support, and legal assistance for years. Despite their efforts, the court case was lost, leaving the family devastated and dependent on DNF’s continued support.

Esther’s story is unfortunately not unique. DNF routinely handles cases of sexual violence across various settings in Nigeria. The foundation offers comprehensive support to survivors, including shelter, psychosocial care, and legal advocacy.

Dorothy Njemanze, the founder of DNF, emphasizes the importance of empowering survivors to share their stories. “When survivors speak out, it increases credibility and shows that taking action can lead to support,” she states.

The family does not know if they will ever get justice mainly because their family is poor and they need support with their businesses to get back on their feet.

DNF remains committed to standing with every survivor. However, the foundation faces resource challenges in providing continued support to families like Esther’s.

Cases of rape reported span from the rapist being a neighbor to that of a class teacher a manager in the workplace or even a father at home. It can be anyone.

You can support DNF’s ongoing efforts to assist survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in Nigeria through donations and recommendations

Donations are greatly appreciated and can be made to DNF at Zenith Bank, account number 1014857963. For immediate assistance or more information, contact the DNF hotline at 08147553343 & 07013333307. For partnership inquiries, please email communications@dnf.org.ng

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NOTE: Names used here are fictitious and just a representation of the true character but these are true events.