“It is heartbreaking!” Actress Stephanie Linus reacts to ‘rape allegations’ levied against brother

Recall that over the weekend, reports of how a
certain Lagos Big Boy, Daniel Okereke who happens to be the elder
brother of popular actress, Stephanie Okereke filtered the blogosphere.

After
being accused of a raping a 300 level UNILAG student, other victims
came out accusing him of assault and narrating how he forced himself on
them

 

Stephanie has now reacted to the allegations.

 

Read the exclusive mail sent in below:

While it is a very difficult
time for me, and my family; I feel the need to
make clear my position, lest there be any doubt. Rape is rape,
regardless of who the face of the accused is.

Indeed, the irony is not lost on me.
I have spent my lifelong career advocating and living my conviction that
women around the world should be able to live free of violence, sexual
harassment or any form of abuse against their persons. This
conviction led me to be involved in numerous initiatives combating
violence against women in several countries including the U.S, Liberia and
Sierra Leone.

 

The conviction also led me to
place much of my energy on my work with Vesico Vaginal
Fistula (VVF), a passion that dates back to my time at
the University of Calabar.

 

As a student, I heard a
story about young girls who had been forced into early marriage and
were suffering the negative and embarrassing effects of VVF. The story
stayed in my consciousness and drove me, for years, to seek ways to
raise awareness on the condition; leading to my work with
a team of dedicated doctors to carry out repair surgeries for
VVF victims across the country; and my self-produced, soon to be
released movie, ‘DRY.’

 

So, again, it is indeed heart
breaking for me to receive and deal with news alleging a family member
of mine is an alleged perpetrator of sexual violence against a
woman. I am devastated.

 

This case is now in Nigeria’s
criminal justice system as the accused awaits arraignment. I
have also encouraged and assured the alleged victim of my stance against rape
and applaud her for her bravery to upset the culture of
silence, in Nigeria; even as I accord deference and
patiently wait for the criminal justice system to
determine the guilt or innocence of my brother.

 

For Nigerian press and blogs; I call
on you to please report this case in an ethical manner. I am a married woman
living my life. The alleged transgression of my relative does not
make it mine. The focus should be the impact of rape on the alleged
victim, and resources for other alleged victims, not me.

 

Some members of the press and blogs
have turned me into the accuser; using my name for sensational headlines
and putting my images, exclusively, in their stories. This is a
form of victimization of me as a woman, its unethical and
extremely hurtful. I am not the alleged accused.

 

I therefore please ask all bloggers
and the media who have placed my pictures and name to this story to
refrain from further using me to sensationalise this story. 

 

I thank my fans, and all
well-wishers for your continued support and ask for your continued prayers.

 

God bless.

 

‘ I am distraught and
devastated to hear of the recent allegation of rape brought
against a relative of mine, Daniel Okereke (my brother).