According to a report by the Human Rights Watch organization, 43 accounts of “sexual abuse, including rape and exploitation” have surfaced of Nigerian government officials, which includes policemen, camp leaders and soldiers, on the women and girls kidnapped by terrorist organization, Boko Haram.
The ages of the women who were drugged and sexually abused range from 18-32. These accounts — that mostly took place at “safe camps” — were noted by HRW in July, leading the entity to create a database of incidents that have occurred, namely one of a 16-year-old girl.
“One day he demanded to have sex with me,” she said. “I refused but he forced me. It happened just that one time, but soon I realized I was pregnant. When I informed him about my condition, he threatened to shoot and kill me if I told anyone else. So I was too afraid to report him.”
Human Rights Watch also revealed that there’s a shortage of mental health outlets for the women and girls scarred by these incidents. A 30-year-old woman said she’s in a perpetual state of sadness.
“I am always thinking about all the bad things that have happened to me,” she said. “Sometimes I cry; at other times I try resign to my fate. But it is hard. My neighbors in the camp encourage me to pray. That is all I can do, pray.”
Nearly 300 girls in a Chibok-based school were kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014. Some victims have been rescued while efforts to free the remaining girls are still ongoing.