It was a cold evening in December I was sitting by myself in front of my parent's house pressing my phone for as long as I could remember. I didn't even notice that it was dark outside already because I was so engrossed with what I was doing on my phone. Just like the flash of light my attention was called back to my environment when I heard a loud shout from the house very close to mine.
This couple were at it again, they had only just moved into the house a couple of months back and we all already had opinions about them because there constantly was this noise and scream coming from the house. A noise that seemed like a woman constantly being harassed and violated. Of course in this part of Nigeria we are supposed to mind our business so no one ever went to the house to find out what the shout was about. I hated that things were this way and I could never understand how one would watch their neighbour in pain and keep quiet because we are supposed to mind our business. It just didn't sound fair to me and I remember I would always run home to my mum to call her to come help my neighbour whenever I heard her shout. Truth be told my mum had tried her best, i know she had tried to have a conversation with this neighbour of mine so many times, but it never yielded any positive outcome because this woman will always decline such offers and even when she did accept to talk, she will say "it is nothing serious, my husband is only having a hard time at work". At first I couldn't wrap my head around the reason she was protecting an abusive partner when she can easily seek for help. But, I remembered from the books I had read on domestic violence that the victim will be very scared of speaking out for a very long time.
I waited for the shout to stop but unlike before it didn't and I got really tensed, scared and confused. The shouting increased, it became louder it was as though someone was crying for help and pleading to be given a chance at life again. I didn't know what to do, my mum was not at home, and it looked like our other neighbours didn't really care. In my confused state I could hear someone shouting "help me, help me, somebody anybody, just help me". That was when I knew I had to do something because unlike other times she was calling for help, but what can I do?. I kept thinking to myself while I paced up and down in the front of my house. Anyone passing at that time would think I was insane. I had different thoughts coming into my head, first I wanted to run into that house with a big stick or something and hit the man on his head, then I thought of calling some of the boys in my neighborhood to go into the house and give the man the Beating of his life, so many crazy thoughts kept coming into my head. Thoughts that I kept waving away. Eventually, it dawned on me that there is a police station 4 houses away from mine. So I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, while panting and talking out loud to myself saying "nothing should happen to this woman, Lord if anything happen to this woman i won't forgive myself". I kept running while calling my mum at the same time till i got to the police station.
At the police station, what i thought would last less than 10 minutes lasted for almost 20 minutes. I was told to wait, after which i was called to give my statement and of course give some money to the police officers to enable our speedy movement back to my neighbour's house. After what seemed to me like eternity, the inspector gave orders that 3 policemen should accompany me back home. I was so happy that finally an end has come to the issues the woman was facing. I pleaded with the policemen to drive as fast as they could. Finally we got to my neighbour's house, the officers went to the door of the house and started knocking but no one responded. We all kept knocking for like 5 minutes, yet no response. Eventually, the policemen had to break the door and barged into the house.
In the house, we met the woman almost lifeless with no trace of her husband anywhere. I begged the policemen to allow me take her to the hospital with one of them, an offer they accepted to my shock and suprise. But, i also begged them to have a thorough search of the house because i had a weird feeling her husband was still in. So in the company of a policeman, i took the woman to the nearest hospital to my estate. She was rushed into the emergency ward immediately we arrived. After like 10 minutes, the doctor called us into this office to give us some situation report concerning the woman. We got to his office and sat down. The doctor thanked me greatly for bringing the woman to the hospital at the time i did. He further stressed that the woman would have died if we hadnt brought her when we did.
Outside the doctor's office, the policeman that accompanied me to the hospital got a call from his boss saying "corporal, come back immediately to the house we have found the wife beater". I told the policeman to go ahead that i would like to stay with the woman in the hospital for sometime. Although, i had already informed my mum of the sutuation of things and she said she was coming to meet me at the hospital and also bring some fruits and food for the woman while coming.
The woman stayed in the hospital for 7 days receiving treatment, while her husband was charged to court for domestic violence and attempted murder. At first she didnt want to press charges, but i begged her to do it for herself, her daughters and other women out there going through similar situation as hers.
Few months later, this woman has completely healed. She even started an NGO where she creates awareness on domestic abuse and the dangers there in.
Image source: https://www.criminalattorneycolumbus.com/blog/2020/01/a-guide-to-domestic-violence-and-getting-help/