Currently, a lot of people, both men and women are speaking against police brutality, especially because innocent young men are profiled as cultists and fraudsters because of how they are dressed, their look and the kinds of phones and laptops they use.
To the affirmation of many, Nigerian youths have decried how unfair it is for the police to profile any young man based on his outward look. However, a writer, Doreen Uloma is using this situation to paint a clear picture of how rape victims are blamed for wearing mini-skirt, skimpy dresses, drawing tattoos on their bodies and going out at late hour.
Read what she wrote below
I know this is quite a sensitive topic to touch, but I think it’s time men started telling themselves the truth and began sharing responsibility for the SARS/police brutality they get themselves into.
I am not in support of police brutality of any sort, but men need to become extremely wary of their behavior and the personalities they project in order to avoid police brutality because, to be fair, the world is not kind to men.
Now let’s get to the point: The truth is that as a man, the way you dress says a lot about you. The police are trained to identify criminals with certain visual traits. The closer you are to these traits, the more likely you are to be targeted.
The way you dress speaks highly of your personality. Dreadlocks. Saggy pants. Tattoos. The chains and glitters. The designers. The phones you use. Even your dark lips sometimes pass a hint that you’re a weed smoker. These are visual xteristics that distinguish you from others.
In fact, these traits are common among criminals so there is literally no logical way to defend yourself if you are found wanting in those areas. How do you explain to an officer that your dreadlocks are simply personal and that it has no link whatsoever to a criminal mind?
How do you tell an officer that your saggy jeans have nothing to do with cultism? How do you begin to explain to an officer that your tattoos are not initiation marks? Or those chains – do you really think these officers can understand that your love for gold is innocent?
Do you think an officer understands that you bought those designers you’re wearing with your hard-earned money and that you’re not a thief or a fraudster? Why exactly are you using an iPhone X when you know that that is the popular brand for yahoo boys?
I am not in support of police brutality or things like that but the truth is that men need to start dressing how they want to be addressed. If you don’t want to be addressed as a criminal, then why dress like one?
Why are you giving policemen criminal vibes and then coming here to play victim? Remember, I am not in support of SARS or police brutality but this is the painful truth. I know men don’t want to hear this and will probably attack me for it but it’s the plain truth.
Why do you keep late nights when you know that that is the favorite working hours for criminals? Why do you carry laptops around when you know that that is a fraudster’s favorite working tool? Do you not like your life? Why do you put it at stake?
The other Friday night, a friend called me to bail him from the police station at 12:30 am. Why? He was driving home from the club and was accosted by the police and was yahooly profiled. I had to go pick him up but what was he expecting driving home by that time of the night?
A few weeks ago, I went to Zone 419 to bail another friend and when I arrived the scene, I was disappointed in him. He’d just gotten his hair locked and he had a giant tattoo of some barbed wire on his arm which the police interpreted to be a cult symbol.
Why do men deliberately do this to themselves even though they know that it puts them at the risk of these police people who are paid to do their fucking job? When will they start taking accountability for their contributions to their own plight?
What is even annoying is the way they have generalized policemen as if all of them are bad. Not all policemen are bad and that is a known fact. It’s just a few bad eggs and your bad experiences with a few does not mean that the rest of the pack is evil. Stop generalizing.
When you want to talk about police brutality, say “some policemen”, not “policemen” or “ALL policemen” bc that is a dishonest means of lumping all the eggs in a box. It is false generalization and just bc you’ve had a bad experience with one doesn’t mean that all of them are bad.
Additionally, change your circle. Ask yourself why you keep meeting bad policemen. It’s your fault because that is an indication that you’re doing something wrong. Stop projecting your pain on everyone else.
Another thing I don’t understand is why most of you bring your cases to social media for attention as if this is a court of justice. Take your problem to the authorities and stop littering our timelines with your tears.
You claim you hate policemen but you still hire them as escorts to protect you. Who exactly are you fooling? Grow up and take responsibility for your actions and stop blaming ALL policemen. They’re just doing their fucking goddamn job. Period!
PS: This is exactly how stupid, illogical, insensitive, cruel, unintelligent, foolish and dumb DUMB you sound whenever you blame rape on a woman’s dressing and other things. Or when you shut them down for narrating their experiences. Blame the assaulter and not the victim.
And if this riled you up, then you must also think of how much more it angers women who have to deal with this every other day and how bitter it makes them feel that they have to put up with your nonsense.
Source: woman.ng