Qtalk: Bisexual rape survivor seeks support

Mike Daemon is the pseudonym of the founder and presenter…

LGBTQ+ Nigerians benefit from the support provided by volunteer counsellors via the Qtalk app, which is supported by this site and by the St. Paul’s Foundation for International Reconciliation.

This Qtalk user’s name has been changed in the following writeup, which is one of many contributed by the counsellors who provide advice to LGBTQ+ Nigerians via the free Qtalk app:

Bisexual man who survived rape seeks support

Wisdom, a 25-year old Nigerian bisexual man, is struggling with his mental health since he was raped multiple times by a group of anti-gay rapists who abducted him for days. In his support request he wrote:

I can’t seem to close my eyes since the whole thing. I can’t get over the fact that I was raped so many times by a group of six men. They took turns on me and kept me in an empty room for three days. One of them invited me after a week of chatting with him. I traveled to go and see him not knowing that it was a setup. My god, why? Please, I need help.

In a response to his support request, the counselor expressed his sympathy and made clear that what happened to him was nothing but criminal and under normal circumstances, the perpetrators would be arrested and made to face the law. It might be difficult to take legal actions due to the nature of the issue, but it is still with the help of a lawyer who understands SOGI issues.

The counselor also recommended that it would be wise and necessary if he gets tested for sexually transmitted infections and especially HIV after three months to rule out concerns of any possible infection.

During the session, the counselor reminded him that what happened wasn’t his fault and assured him that he was strong enough to deal with the trauma.

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Wisdom has remained in therapy and has shown some level of improvement. The counselor has encouraged him to join a queer support group for rape survivors.

This article is one of five that comprise Part 16 of the Qtalk series.

To download the Qtalk mobile app, click HERE.

To support the Qtalk project financially, click HERE.