The last few days have been disorienting, to say the least. Reports and accusations of sexual violence and police brutality have dominated the news cycle and pervaded our social media timelines. While these heinous acts and a copious amount of truly despicable reactions are a reflection of the harmful, retrograde ideals of our society towards women, the only positive is the sense of duty many have shown in this bleak period, through protests and pulling together to support victims.

In the spirit of social responsibility, there’s an ongoing financial campaign for Farishina, a 12-year old girl who was sexually assaulted by eleven men. Organised by Jola Ayeye and Feyikemi Abudu, hosts of the ‘I Said What I Said’ podcast, the campaign is to provide wholesome support for Farishina so that she has better chances at recovering from the traumatic event. Donated funds will be used in setting up a trust fund that will take care of Farishina’s medical bills, cover counselling and therapy, pay for as much of the rest of her secondary school education as possible, and supply her family with staple foods for as long as possible.

The campaign has options that ensure anybody can donate in Nigeria and from anywhere in the world, and you can access them via the dedicated website. Currently, creating awareness on the repulsiveness of sexual violence is important, however, opening up our purses and donating to notable causes like Farishina’s financial campaign goes a long way in dismantling the effects of these acts. We still have some ways to go in reforming a system that enables rape culture and doesn’t provide adequate justice or protection for victims, but the least we can do is to be as helpful as possible in whatever way possible

We saw the horrible story of a 12 yr old girl who was raped by 11 men. Her name is Farishina. @fkabudu spoke to her and her mum to find out how we can help.
We can't change what's happened, but can try to make the rest of her life better. Please donate: https://t.co/pz7UDMxyqJ pic.twitter.com/MMSRGps7Cz

— Jola (@Jollz) June 2, 2020

[Please, donate here.]

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