@IvyOrji God is good! A God who never fails. He will never leave nor forsake you. This child is blessed and highly favored โค๏ธ๐๐พ๐๐พ๐๐พ
I have been sitting with the Obuasi SHTS story for days.
These girls did exactly what we tell our children to do. They spoke up. Painfully, the adults around them failed them.
We are right to be outraged. But I keep asking myself: outrage then what? what can each of us actually do?
Some thoughts I have:
1. Don't let this just be "the Obuasi case."
If adults in one town knew for months and stayed quiet, we have to be honest about what may be happening elsewhere. I support the call for an independent, nationwide inquiry into safeguarding in our schools.
2. How we raise our girls.
When my daughter doesn't want to hug someone, I don't force her. Many of us do this to little girls without thinking: "Go and hug Uncle." It teaches them that their body and their "no" belong to whichever adult is asking.
3. How we raise our boys.
When a little boy pushes a girl or kisses her when she doesn't want it, we laugh and say "boys will be boys." We are teaching him early that a girl's consent doesn't count.
4. "Respect your elders" must have limits.
We raise children to obey adults without question, and abusers count on it. Our children need to hear clearly: no teacher, headmaster, pastor or relative can ask you to keep a secret or come somewhere alone or touch you anywhere inappropriate.
5. Ask your children direct questions.
Are you ever sent to a teacher's house? Are you asked to cook, clean or carry food for staff? These "small errands" can be how predators get children alone.
6. Believe children the first time.
โAre you sure?" "Don't spoil the man's name." That is how a child learns never to speak again.
7. If you know something, say something.
Protecting the school's reputation or the family's name is not neutral. Silence is complicity. The number of adults who knew something and said/did nothing is shocking!
8. Protect these girls.
They deserve to heal and to finish their education.
9. Use the rooms you're already in and the platforms you currently have.
PTAs, old students' associations, school boards, community organizations, churches and mosques can all ask one question of every school they're connected to: what is your safeguarding policy, and how can a child report abuse confidentially?
10. Keep this above politics.
These are our daughters. Letโs keep politics out of it and form a united front to solve this issue.
Letโs not fail these nineteen girls by failing to act.
I pray that this week, heaven will intervene in the places where your human effort has failed. May you find help in unexpected places, may the Lord bless you with extraordinary favour, surprising answers, and a breakthrough you could not have arranged on your own. Amen ๐๐ฝ
With God all things are possible.
Happy new week ๐ฅณ๐
Not a single public condemnation from our major religious leaders over the Obuasi SHS sexual abuse allegations?
Where are the Catholic Bishops, the Christian Council of Ghana, the Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, the Chief Imam and other religious bodies?
Why have we not heard a united call for a swift investigation and justice for these children?
Our religious leaders cannot speak loudly about morality but go silent when children are allegedly abused.
So I just randomly remembered in 2017, when I was getting my degree in the UK, I was so DEPRESSED. I wasn't prepared for UK depression, especially during winter. Being an introvert, friends I no get, God I no hold. I was just alone and the devil was whispering to me. 1/
I think what stresses me out in all this is the fact that some parents (the good ones o) who end up taking care of other peopleโs kids often over compensate by being harsher to their kids.