I have been following the story about the HIV infected Kenyan who is currently facing trial for having raped his ex wife. Young Kenyan men are living very promiscuous life-styles and not protecting themselves or their partners and that is the reason why they get infected in the first place. What infuriates me is that instead of some people dealing with the problem (and it is a big problem), they begin to question the victims of these men.
In this latest case, if the woman could have been Kenyan, I think that the entire Kenyan-Swedish society could have been supporting her. So far, I haven’t seen anyone worrying about her or even caring if she was infected or not. It looks like nobody cares if she is Swedish, Kenyan black or white.
I ask: Why, for God’s sake, are we protecting these kind of men? These careless men are the ones who are creating the negative and stereotypical picture of Kenyan and other African men who are working so hard to better their image in Swedish society.
From what I read in Metro newspaper, the man confessed that he had unprotected sex with the woman so obviously, he is guilty of a crime. I don’t know if he raped her but what I don’t understand is how a woman in her right state of mind could have unprotected sex with a man if she knows that he is HIV positive.
Judging by the information Mr. Odede broadcast in the Internet about his friend, the guy doesn’t seem to be a nice person. The thing that we Kenyans should be talking about is: What can we do to STOP this? How can we stop the racism towards us in this society when this is the way some Kenyans are making us look in the media? In any case, why address or treat the woman’s skin colour as a big issue?
My mother is Swedish (white) and my dad is Kenyan (black) so there are good, loving, caring Swedish women raising their Kenyan sons and daughters just like Kenyan women do so what is the difference between them? None. We are all women, mothers, sisters, sons and daughters.
But for the sake of all of us, I think we should leave it to the Court to judge and try to start a more relevant discussion about what we can do to protect ourselves and our children from this growing and contagious virus.
Anna
About the Author
