My rape experience hurts –Juliet Ibrahim

Ghanaian actress, Juliet Ibrahim, says her past rape experience hurts her, but it has no impact on her finding love again.

In an interview with The Punch, the actress said, “My past does not affect my future. Yes, the past can hurt but it is said that we are to leave the past behind and learn from it. Many people run from the past or live in the past but I have always believed in the positivity in life and each unique circumstance.

“Yes, one can have a healthy relationship after sexual assault. The experience I spoke about in that part of the interview (with Chide Jideonwo) is not recent. It happened over a decade ago. Every rape victim heals differently, and every victim speaks up when they are ready. Every rape victim opens up to loving again when they are mentally and physically ready. I thank God that I have been able to love again after my past experiences. I am currently single but I do love hard and I am open to (falling in) love with a great man. There is so much love inside of me as I am a hopeless romantic.”

On the measures she took to heal from the experience, she said, “Nearly one in five women would have experienced ‘complete’ or attempted rape during their lifetime. One in three female rape victims experienced it for the first time between 11 and 17 years old. One in eight female rape victims reported that it occurred before the age of 10. An estimated 91 per cent of victims of rape and sexual assault are female, while nine per cent are male. Nearly 99 per cent of perpetrators are male.”