Yes, we are living a lie by thinking women are safe in their localities

Noordin Haji

On the 6th day God made mankind in his own image. He decreed that man would rule over the fish in the sea and birds in the sky, over the livestock and all wild animals. God then planted a garden in Eden and placed man there.

Then God saw that it was not good for man to be alone and decided to make him a helper. God caused man to fall into deep sleep and took one of man’s ribs and made a woman from the rib and brought her to man. 

God created man by moulding him from dirt and breathing life into his nostrils. Woman on the other hand was created by God from man’s flesh.

God gave man naming rights over all fish, birds, livestock, wild animals, creatures and plants. He also gave him naming rights over his helper. Adam named his helper “woman” because she was made from flesh taken out of man.

Though God created woman to be man’s his helper, of his flesh and therefore of his own, when woman was deceived by the snake to mislead man, God cursed her to a lifetime of painful and laborious childbirth and a desire for man that would ensure man would rule over her in her lifetime. 

Man ruled and continues to rule over woman as he does fish, animals, both wild and domestic, plants and creatures.

Nothing more is a stark reminder of this story of the first days of man and woman in the book of Genesis in the Bible, nothing more is a stark reminder of man’s cruel rule over woman, than the recent story of a homeless man who threatened and then sexually assaulted a lady in public as onlookers either cheered on or walked past. 

As though this was not enough for one human being, the lady has to re-live this incident for the rest of her life because one of the onlookers who was filming her as she was being violated posted the video to the public.

The public in turn repeatedly reposted it and turned it into a discussion of whether she was a willing participant.

I have not watched the video. I do not wish to. The graphic and sordid details being bandied around carry with them the shame, pain, burden and guilt that is the curse of being born a woman ruled over by godless men.

The homeless man, his companions, the onlookers present, the person who recorded and posted the video, and every person who reposted it, have and continue to dehumanise someone’s daughter, mother, aunt, cousin, in-law, neighbour and friend. 

The homeless man committed the offence of rape. If he threatened to kill the lady if she did not stop resisting, he committed the offence of attempted murder.

Any of his companions and onlookers who verbally or otherwise encouraged him to commit or continue with the sexual assault committed the offence of counselling or procuring the rape. They are liable to the same punishment as the homeless person. 

The person who threatened the lady if she did not stop resisting committed the offence of procuring the rape. He and any other who threatened her are liable to the same punishment. 

The person who recorded and posted the video of the sexual assault is not only an accomplice but committed a separate offence. Any person who reposted the video also committed an offence. Any person who was present, and does not come forward to pinpoint all the culprits is an accessory to the crime and if identified should also be prosecuted.

Unless the Director of Public Prosecutions sweeps in, literally and figuratively, no woman in Kenya should consider herself safe from marauding men.

I stand for the victim. I stand for the lady. #I stand for you.