By Sandra Ijeoma Okoye
It is not an exaggeration to say that since the sex video that has 10 year old Chrisland School girl, Julie Anke, as the protagonist in the video began to spread on social media platforms at the speed that is reminiscent of virus that she and her loved ones, particularly her mother, might have been having sleepless nights, and overwhelmed with shame within their immediate neighborhoods, and in other neighborhoods and places that they are known.
There is no denying the fact that the emotional reactions which Julie might have been expressing cut across guilt, shame, self-blame, embarrassment, fear, distrust, and sadness among other uncomfortable feelings as a human being. There is no doubt that other emotional reactions she might have been exhibiting cut across vulnerability and isolation while related psychological reactions also include nightmares, flashbacks, depression, difficulty concentrating, lack of control, anger, numbness, confusion, shock, disbelief and denial.
Still in the same vein, she might have been experiencing anxiety, eating disorders, phobias and low self-esteem. In some cases, victims of the psychological trauma which Julie is passing through may resort to substance use or abuse. We pray none of these untoward experiences will happen to her.
To worsen her case, it is crystal clear that she seems to be the only one that is bearing the consequences of the sexcapade despite the fact that there are other male students of Chrisland School that were in connivance with her, and they happened to be the ones that shot the video, and mischievously posted it on social media platforms. If I may ask, have self-righteous and self-acclaimed moralists that are by each passing day circulating her pictures and videos forgotten that her male classmates were also involved in the sexcapade? Why have they chosen to single her out, is it because she is a girl?
Given how our society judges sexually active females far more harshly than men, it is sad that it seems only Julie is bearing the psychological and social traumas of the joint actions of everyone in that room.
Against the foregoing backdrop, and given the fact that she is a minor; whether you like it or not, the best way to help her is for people to desist posting and commenting about her on social media platforms. She is not the only one that is bad, except that she has been caught. Rather than crucifying her, the government or any Non-Governmental Organization that may be interested in helping her to recover from the psychological trauma she might have suffered as a result of the incident, should show love to her, while psychological-related support should also be provided to her to hasten her recovery from the trauma.
There is no denying the fact that she is at the moment passing through a very traumatic experience and that she need to feel she is not alone in this world. It is imperative that people around her, and to a large extent, her mother provide as much love, care and support as possible for her. The reason for this view cannot be farfetched as further circulation of her videos and comments about her could create more harm than good.
Internet trolls who seem not to have any other issue to talk about should have it at the back of their minds that the girl in question is just 10, and what happened to her was as a result of societal decay. Anyone’s daughter could have being a victim like Julie.
When persons that do not understand the trouble this girl is passing through right now, even in years to come, begin to negatively talk about her, her situation and the traumatic experience she is at the moment passing through could be worse, so it is best her physical and mental well-being, as a victim of societal decay be left to a professional.
To me, the mother, as Nigerians are yet to see the father in the picture, should for now, before talking about her education, enroll her with a counselling institution where she will be taught coping skills to deal with the trauma she is at the moment encountering.
There is no denying the fact that everyone that is seeing her as the only bad girl in town are going through mixed emotions, but it is imperative that they leave the critical aspect of the ordeal to professionals, such as counsellors. In fact, she should be given proper treatment and care in order to develop the necessary coping mechanisms to continue her life, particularly her education. It is imperative a counsellor attend to her to reduce the stigma associated with the sexcapade she was involved in in Dubai with her co-students as it will help in lessening her trauma. If possible, the government, NGOs and kind-hearted people should help her delete the video from virtual space.
Personally straight to Julie, I love you. Be a good girl, and refrain from the bad things you are been accused of. Put them behind you, and move on. You can still make it as age is on your side.
