Write, director, and Ake Festival founder, Lọlá Shónẹ́yìn opens up about her assault by a Deputy Vice-Chancellor and friend of her father a long time ago. Following Kiki Mordi’s documentary “S*x For Grades”, Lọlá Shónẹ́yìn took to Twitter to share her experience at the hands of a university official.
She tweeted:
A DVC (also my dad’s friend) lunged at my breasts in his office. I froze from shock before flinging off his hand. For months, I felt terrible shame. Played the scene over in my mind to see what I could’ve done to invite such a violation. Nothing. I told my dad and he was furious!
— Lọlá Shónẹ́yìn (@lolashoneyin) October 7, 2019
My dad slapped his chest and said, ‘Omo re mi!’ (my own child in Remo). He felt so betrayed.
To be honest, I told my parents because I felt a stomach-turning combination of shame and fear. I believed the man was capable of turning up at my door. https://t.co/NbbOLFqLkj
— Lọlá Shónẹ́yìn (@lolashoneyin) October 7, 2019
It was very hard. And very embarrassing. There are loads of experiences that I didn’t share/ haven’t shared with them though. How many stories will I recount? https://t.co/skcWRCKPcy
— Lọlá Shónẹ́yìn (@lolashoneyin) October 7, 2019
Listen, a big part of my shame was that I froze from shock for about 3 seconds. Therefore I had to live with the lingering sensation of this man’s palm on my b****t for weeks. I felt so dirty. 🤮
I wish I’d slapped him or screamed. But I didn’t. I was terrified. https://t.co/1ORLrA1NpC
— Lọlá Shónẹ́yìn (@lolashoneyin) October 7, 2019
Lọlá Shónẹ́yìn’s assault shows that many abusers are people that we know. A great percentage of abuse is inflicted by people close to family.
Also, it truly is shocking how rampant abuse is among men in power. The use of their position to take advantage of young girls and also boys is proof that s*xual assault is not just about s*x. It is about power.
