This Sunday, December 4, 2011, at the Silverbird Galleria in VictoriaIsland, Lagos, Amaka Igwe Studios will present a short film on rapeand sexual abuse, as part of its social responsibility towardscreating awareness and seeking solutions to the issue of rape in Nigeria.The film, written and directed by Chris Ihidero, features actors YemiAdeyemi, Zara Abimbola Udofia, 'Tunbosun Auyedehin and others.'Where do you go, when all is lost?' asks Ihidero, who says heembarked on the project as a personal contribution to society.'We decided to make a film on rape because we believe that, for oursociety to truly combat this abnormality, we need to lay ourcollective shame bare. We need to strip off the layers upon layers ofcoverings that hide the realities of rape and sexual abuse. Webelieve that we all need to come clean and accept the blame forwhatever part we have played, consciously or not, in ensuring thatrape victims continue to lack support and justice, and lives continueto get ruined. We fear that unless we collectively do somethingquickly, anarchy may be loosed upon us all in the very near future',says Ihidero who is a writer, filmmaker and teacher.The film will premiere this Sunday before select guests atthe Silverbird cinemas in Lagos, before being shown on TV stations across the country, A young woman is at thecrossroads. A victim of rape and sexual abuse by a family member fromchildhood to early teenage years, her life has become marred by thescars of the past. A gloomy future lies ahead as the scars that shebears continue to threaten her future possibilities...''The big questions is: 'What would she do?', Ihidero says.We are not that naive to think that one short film can changeeverything and resolve all issues around rape and sexual violence. Ourhope is that everyone who sees this film will ask themselves a fewquestions: Did I know about a rape incident and keep quiet? Do Irealise that my silence enables rape to thrive? Have I failed to care?What would I do now if I were to witness such an incident again?'Rape, sexual abuse and domestic violence are endemic in Nigeria. Humanrights groups estimate that about 20% of Nigerian women experiencephysical, sexual or psychological violence from a spouse or malerelative. Alarming as this is, it doesn’t tell the true story of rape,sexual and psychological violence in Nigeria. The collaborations andcontributions of other participants in creating this pervasiveenvironment for rape and domestic violence to thrive - participantslike law enforcement agencies, the media, educational institutions andwomen themselves – is often underplayed.
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