Grandfather in my bed

The night it first happened I was 13. I thought it was dreaming until I felt his hands start to undress me. Shocked and scared, I tried to scream but he covered my mouth and told me that it was tradition for grandfathers to sleep with their granddaughters.

I was so confused! What tradition was this?

He said if I screamed or even told anyone about it, I would die.
It continued to happen in my grandmother’s absence. Those nights he would come into my room. I would put up a fight but he would have his way with me. I felt more worthless and depressed each time he had sex with me. How could my grandfather have sex with me?!

I did not understand what was happening to my body when two months later I started to vomit and often felt tired. When my grandmother returned, she noticed but at first thought nothing of it. She only realised I was pregnant when the pregnancy symptoms got more obvious.

I was relieved because the secret would come out. But no! She accused me of sleeping around with the boys in the village. I told her it was her husband. She called me names and said I was a witch. I had thought she would help me but she treated me awfully. Often, I would go without food. She was horrible to me. Saying I would bring disgrace to the family, forcing me to drink herbs to induce abortion. All she cared about what how it would look if people found out.

To keep it secret, I stopped going to school, was banned from socialising with other children.

I eventually gave birth to a baby boy. My son…? I guess.

My grandmother blamed me for everything and threw me out.

Homeless and with a small baby, I slept in the bushes. I had no food and my milk production was low when a neighbour discovered me and secretly took me in.

A church took me in My baby is six months old. I wish I could have a normal life like everyone else.

Sexual assault and rape is not always done by a stranger. In fact most rapists are someone you already know. No matter whom, it is a crime to have sex with a child under 16. Tell someone. Unless you speak up the abuse won’t end. Tell a trusted adult, teacher, pastor or the police Victim Support Unit. They will protect you.