A story of hope, as narrated by rape survivor/Une histoire d'Espoir, une rescapee de viol raconte.

• Author: Wanjugu, Magdalene

Rape is widespread and occurs in all social and ethnic groups. Victims are often left traumatised and in shock white efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice are met with tremendous obstacles. Most victims of rape suffer in silence due to intimidating cultural practices fearing discrimination from family and society and harassment from police. As for those who seek justice they are encountered by a harsh system that is ignorant and inadequately deals with the perpetrators. Many have not lived to tell their story. Miriam Kanja like many of us, knew she was safe and rape was just a story that she heard over the media or through other sources not until it happened to her. Miriam's career in marketing had just begun and she had successfully secured a job at a Taxi company operating in Nairobi, Kenya and as most sales jobs would entail, her work involved meeting clients and marketing the company in the city centre environs. On this particular day in December 2002, Miriam was meeting a client at one of the suburbs in the city when heavy down pour of rain forced her to stay till late in the evening. Luckily, the client offered to take Miriam home and together with a friend they Left for Miriam's place. The journey turned tragic when they were confronted by four gunmen who robbed them off their money, phones and other valuables before taking off with Miriam in a separate car Leaving the other two men behind. Having no way out, Miriam was forced to stay with the gangsters as they went about terrorizing and robbing people and places.

As it got deep into the night, the gangsters decided to split leaving two gangsters with Miriam in a discarded garage as the other two left with the car. Miriam was then again left with one of the men as the other left the empty garage, whether it was a premeditated move remains a mystery to her. Taking out a gun and showing her that it was loaded, the man threatened to kill her if she made any attempts to call for help or run. She stood still, gripped with fear even as she was ordered to take off her clothes which she resisted only to his anger. Ignoring all her calls for mercy, he wrestled her to the ground and brutally raped her at gunpoint in a place where all her cries went unheard.

After what seemed eternity, and daylight fast approaching, the rest of the gang returned and bundled her into the car again, gave her 100 shillings for transport home and dropped her by the roadside. On seeing a police patrol car...