Popular Nollywood actress, Iyabo Ojo, has shared how she was raped 5 times.
She recalled the first incident was when she was just 14.
She spoke throughout the latest episode of her YouTube series titled ‘Bare it all with I.Y‘
The actress explained she determined to share her story to encourage others who’ve had a similar experience to speak up with a view to tackling rape and sexual violence in society.
Iyabo Ojo narrated how she was first raped by a non-member of the family when she was staying along with her aunt before witnessing the second sexual assault which led to seeking security elsewhere.
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“As I mentioned, sure I’ve been raped before. Not once however 5 times. And belief me when I say it wasn’t easy.
“The first time I was raped, I was 14. It happened at my aunty’s home (not a family member).
“I didn’t want to discuss it as a result of it was taboo to speak about it. I felt I might be blamed for everything that happened,” she stated.
The actress stated she was raped the third time by a neighbour, who occurred to be a friend to Emmanuel, her first lover at the time.
Ojo stated she was almost 18 at the time and had gone to visit his relations around the Obanikoro axis of Lagos where the neighbour offered to drop her off on her way back to Ikeja when she was living along with her aunt.
The entrepreneur mentioned along the way, he had requested her if he may present her his home to which she approved as she never envisaged that he might hurt her.
She, nevertheless, stated on attending to his home, the neighbour raped her after a number of efforts to stop him proved abortive.
“I cried my heart out. Then I pondered about telling my ex-boyfriend. My ex-boyfriend was a nasty boy and I wouldn’t say I liked all of the bad things he did.
“So I decided not to inform him as a result of they might kill or do something terrible to him if I did. I didn’t want that because I didn’t need blood on my hands,” she stated.
Ojo mentioned she was additionally raped by one of the armed robbers who invaded their home at Ikeja after she got married.
“The other one occurred after I got married to my husband and had my children, then we moved to Ikeja.
“I was raped by one of the armed robbers who came to our home. It’s not straightforward to speak about rape.
“Regardless of how much you discuss it, you have to realise that it’s painful, however you aren’t alone,” she revealed.
