Rape is about power and rapists usually engage in the crime because it was taken away from them at a point in their lives.
This is according to psychologist Liz Gichimo.
Rapists perceive their victim as weak and try to dominate them.
Speaking to the Star on Friday, Gichimo said, "I would recommend the victim to immediately seek help because once a person is raped, their sense of security is damaged, a level of their safety affected and a lot about their outlook in life affected."
She says that most rapists are people known to the victims.
Any rape victim should be counselled to start healing to reclaim their power.
Who to report to?
One can decide to tell the family immediately but it depends on their cultural background.
Silence is what causes more harm to the victim, so talking will help. if you can't report to the hospitals, then reach out to a church immediately.
The reason most victims chose to keep quiet could be because the rape was perpetrated by a family member.
"You may realise that their relatives underwent the same thing but did not want to talk about it. Most family members tend to hide the accused especially if it is a relative and will only do so when they are affected later in life," Gichimo says.
Rape can affect the way you relate with other people, which includes relationships and that is when most victims decide to share.
Gichimo says it is difficult to counsel a rape victim and it calls for empathy.
