Flora My name is Flora, I study in primary school. I’m in primary one [33].
Interviewer How old are you?
Flora I’m ten years old.
Interviewer Tell us what happened to you? What did ‘S’ do to you?
Flora I left my uncle’s place to go home and sleep at around ten o’clock. Then he (S) came and started undressing himself and he was naked, then he pulled down my dress and then my panty. He then put his penis in my vagina.
Interviewer What time did he do that?
Flora Around midnight.
Interviewer When he did that to you did you get any pain?
Flora I found that my vagina was hurting.
Interviewer Did you scream so that people can hear you?
Flora Yes, I did but nobody came.
Interviewer Did people hear you?
Flora They heard but they refused to come (and help).
Interviewer Why do you think they didn’t come (to help you)?
Flora They later said they were afraid.
Interviewer Is ‘S’ your relative?
Flora He is … he is my grandmother’s brother.
Interviewer What do you think should be done to your uncle?
Flora I want him to be killed.
Interviewer What advice do you have for other children?
Flora I want children to take care of themselves. This thing ….this thing (sex, defilement) should not be done to them. They should protect themselves.
Interviewer Are you afraid that your uncle will one day return home?
Flora Ku ku - (No no)
OMONA
My name is Omona, Flora is my child. I had gone to the main road the night after ‘S’ had defiled Flora. While, I was at the roadside I saw Flora going to the well. She asked someone to summon me and she asked ‘do you know what happened to me last night? Then she said ‘S’ de.led me last night’. I asked her that why she had not told me earlier but she said she could not find me where I usually sleep.
I was saddened because I know ‘S’ is not well. He has the disease (HIV/AIDS). I went to the police and reported ‘S’ and the police said they would look for him because he had gone into hiding. They eventually found him drinking alcohol so they arrested him and took him to Gangkal (local police post).
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| Euan Denholm/IRIN |
Interviewer How do you normally live with ’S’?
Omona We always live very well with him.
Interviewer Do you always eat from the same pot?
Omona Yes, we eat from the same pot.
Interviewer What do you think of his relationship with the child?
Omona When he is drunk that is when his thoughts and actions are evil.
Interviewer What have you seen him do to this child?
Omona When I’m not around, he calls this child and beats her for no reason.
Interviewer Is there any advice that you want to give to men in this camp?
Omona Men in this camp should not get drunk and beat up children because they are people who are sick and they can transmit it (HIV/AIDS) to young children.
Interviewer The child had earlier on said that she called out for help but nobody came to assist her. Do you have any advice for such people so that they can be alert to help such children?
Omona Yes, I can give an advice. I beg neighbours to be alert to what is happening to other people’s children.
Interviewer Did they tell you anything?
Omona No, nothing. They kept quiet. It’s Flora herself who told me what happened.
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[33] Aged between six to eight years