Perceptions of the Social Consequences of Rape in Ezinihitte- Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Rape is a criminal act of obtaining sexual consent or submission forcefully or by use of threat. In many places, the scar of rape is perceived to be permanent and the female victims are usually stigmatized. The paper examined the perceptions of the social consequences of rape in Ezinihitte-Mbaise, Imo State, Nigeria. The paper is anchored on feminist theory, Marxian theory and rational choice theory. The sample size and study participants were 324 adult residents of the area. They were selected using multi-stage sampling procedure and purposive sampling technique. Questionnaire and In-Depth Interviews (IDIs) were the quantitative and qualitative instruments of data collection used in the study. Quantitative data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and interpreted in tables of frequency/percentage distributions. Transcription of the recorded electronic and field note interviews provided data for the qualitative analysis. The result amongst others revealed that 20.3% of the respondents were of the view that stigmatization; withdrawal from social activities (18.6%), delay in getting married (25.2%) were notable social consequences of rape. However, the paper concluded that stigmatization or possible avoidance of marrying rape victims sustains the trauma and would also serve as a secondary victimization. It therefore recommended amongst others that government in partnership with NGO's should embark on adequate sensitization campaigns in rural areas to discourage stigmatization and thereby reorientate many on the wrong notion that rape scar remains with the victims for life. Females should avoid walking unaccompanied in the night and visiting of acquaintances at lonely places.