By: Esther Aurelio Agira
Rape is a form of sexual violence that involves sexual intercourse or penetration carried out without consent. It leaves survivors with deep psychological, physical, and emotional scars that often last a lifetime.
Sexual violence has reached alarming levels in South Sudan, particularly in the town of Wau. Reports from the United Nations and humanitarian organization indicate that sexual and gender-based violence is widespread, with Wau recording a high prevalence of rape cases. including rape,
Rape can happen to anyone, women, girls, boys and men. However, women and girls remain the most vulnerable.
Being married does not make a woman immune to rape. a husband can be a rapist if sex occurs without his wife’s consent. Yet many people argue that rape cannot occur within marriage because a husband supposedly has a right over his wife’s body. This belief is deeply wrong. Marriage does not erase a woman’s right to consent, nor does it grant ownership of her body to a man.
Every married man should keep in mind that, forcing sex on a spouse is sexual violence. Therefore, it must be recognized and condemned as rape. In addition, if a woman is not in the mood, is upset, or clearly refuses sex and her husband forces her into it, that act is rape regardless of marital status.
There are many cases where married women are raped by their own husband. Any form of forced sex within marriage is sexual violence and must be recognized and condemned as rape. If a woman is upset, unwell, unwilling, or clearly refuses sex and her husband forces himself on her, that act is rape, regardless of marital status.
Many men fail to understand women or to respect consent within marriage. Intimacy is not something to be demanded; it is something to be built. If a man desires a loving and intimate moment with his wife at night, it should begin with how he treats her during the day. Kindness, respect, and communication, and emotional support matter. Love grows from mutual respect, not force.
Dear married men, if you want a beautiful and romantic night, start by treating your wife well throughout the day. Speak kindly to her, show affection, send thoughtful messages, and make her feel valued beyond the bedroom. When a woman feels loved, respected and emotionally secure, intimacy becomes natural not forced.
Many women refuse intimacy because they are mistreated during the day. Some husbands are rude, harsh or emotionally abusive, yet expect access to their wives’ bodies at night. For many women, this feels degrading and painful not loving.
Our culture place immense pressure on women, teaching them to be submissive and holding them responsible for problems in marriage. Even worse, women are often blamed for violence committed against them.
What make marital rape one of the worst painful and difficult form of rape to report is that the perpetrator shares a home and often bed with the victim. He is frequently the father of her children. Marital rape means living with your rapist and being violated again and again.
Across many societies, including parts of South Asia and Africa, countless women remain trapped in marriages that are long dead. They stay not because they want to, but because of economic dependence, fear and deeply patriarchal systems that deny them alternatives.
Marital rape is real, harmful and devastating. Silence and denial only protect abusers and deepen women’s suffering. Consent does not end at marriage it begins with respect. Until societies, laws and communities acknowledge this truth, many women will continue to suffer behind closed doors, unheard and unprotected.
A lot of women in India and South Asia are in marriages which are long dead and the women continue in marriage because of lack of alternative, and the society being so patriarchal and so male dominated
By: Esther Aurelio Agira
Telephone no 0921492857
Email: esteraurelio91@gmail.com