Fatima Ishiaku was raped by her father when she was seven, but it turned out that he wasn’t actually her father and her mother had been lying to her.

And the mother decided to stay with the man after she has physically mutilated her daughter based on the instructions and stories of this man.

She has forgiven her mother and written a book about her life’s experiences over the past 38 years since that rape.

Sharing one of the advice she gave a younger victim of sexual abuse, she said:

You need to forgive
Forgive yourself.
If you don't want to arrest him, it means you don't want him to suffer. So why not forgive him?
Look at your future. You have a beautiful one.
Focus on it.
It's your life that matters - your survival, your growth, and your healing.
It what you want to become that matters

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Quote for the day

“There are many who don’t wish to sleep for fear of nightmares. Sadly, there are many who don’t wish to wake for the same fear”

Another for the road

“Don’t ignore your emotions. Don’t pretend they don’t exist. Acknowledge them. Embrace them, even if lightly. Then let them go if you can - or work to transform them through gratitude, compassion, and perspective.” - Chude

You need to forgive

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