Introduction
Being a victim of some event can be disastrous, being a victim of armed robbery, child abuse,war and any natural disaster can build a long time consequences that will affect both mental and physical health of the victim.
Once a victim of arm robbery.
On a particular day very early in the morning I was traveling from my hometown to the city and I was so unfortunate that I became a victim of armed robbers and I can assure you that this moment wasn't funny and the effect of such incident never left me.
How did it happen?
During that period of time our state was filled with armed robbers who were robbing commercial vehicles that conveys market woman to the market, this usually happens early in the morning most likely when those women will have a lot of money in their bags which they will use to buy goods.
It became so bad that sometime those women will have to put their money in bags filled with cassava flour and inside kegs of palm oil but still this boys will definitely find out where the money is hidden.
On that faithful morning I was going to the town and our bus was filled with market woman who were also going to buy goods just few minutes drive to the town, we heard gunshots from behind and we already knew what has befall us that we are now victims of armed robbery, so everybody started shouting telling the diver to stop so that they will not bust the tyre and hurt us.
Immediately the driver stopped the car and those arm robber double crossed the bus with their loaded guns, at that point my heart have left me I was shivering, I was shaking I was thinking what next to do, it wasn't an easy situation immediately they commanded everyone in the bus to come down and handover whatever you have to them, quietly everybody did just so.
And they commanded everyone to lay flat face down while they drove off with all our belongings, immediately they left the driver jumped in and moved the bus with few people who were able to join him.
The effects of that incident was so bad that I was admitted in the hospital for weeks, I developed hypertension as a result of that incident, for weeks my heart rate never came down to normal and immediately I see a red car automatically my mind will remind me of that incident, yes it has been years but I haven't forgotten what happened that day.
Being a victim is dangerous.
General effects of victimization.
Victimization has psychological effects which include what is known as post-traumatic stress disorder just like what I experience it comes with intense fear severe anxiety and flashback of the sad event.
If victimization is not well managed it can cause depression and hopelessness it can also make the victim remain gulty for a long period of time, he or she will keep saying had I known.
Victimization also causes physical effect,most people who were in same bus with me were physically injured and some including me couldn't sleep for days due to chronic pain and panic attack.
Victim of sexual abuse.
Being a victim of sexual abuse is not a good story, I had a friend who always isolate herself from people and we never knew what was wrong with her, it became so bad that the parents arranged for her to see a therapist and it was ascertained that she was sexually abused by armed robbers.
Sexual abuse by armed robbers was one of the problem we face in some parts if not or part of Nigeria.
So this my classmate never trusted anyone at all, she was always ashamed of herself she couldn't keep any relationship and those were signs of someone who have been a victim of sexual abuse.
A sexual abuse victim will always be stigmatized and emotionally distressed some even get to the point that they might want to take their lives if care is not taking while some Will not come anywhere close to the opposite sex, others will fall into use of excessive drugs just to cope with what they are facing.
Summary
Victimization can ruin someones life if not attended as soon as possible, because if result to social effects, behavioral and health effect, and unfortunately the recovery takes a gradual process.
Have you ever been a victim before?
3rd entry for #juneinleo