Living as a Victim: Experiences of Women Raped During Farmers– Pastoralists’ Conflict in Delta State,Nigeria

Abstract

In Nigeria, the issue of rape has become a very worrisome matter. Many victims refuse to speak out due to the stigma attached. Most available pieces of literature on the issue of rape focus on the act (first stage of stigma) and the reactions (second stage of stigma). This article adopts the historical and exploratory design to examine the third stage of stigma, which is the self-imposed stigma on pastoralists’ rape victims in Delta state, Nigeria. It is a qualitative study which includes interviews, focus group discussions (FGD) and newspaper reviews. The data were analysed using content analysis. Findings revealed that there is a stigma attached to rape victims, but community experience has shown that there is another level of stigma attached to women who are raped by pastoralists. The study argues that such victims are further stigmatized because pastoralists are seen as ‘dirty’, and the fact that they are ‘strangers’ makes it even worse for the victims. Such women are noticed to suddenly withdraw from their fellow women in the community, and they avoid other women gathering. The study contributes to the literature on rape victimization and the stigma in interethnic relations and violence.