Sexual assault isn’t necessarily rape, do not say risk ‘potential’ infertility

On Page 3 of Bongo’s huge and colourful broadsheet of Wednesday, October 15, there’s a story entitled, ‘Government warns against misuse of emergency contraceptive pill’. The story is attributed to advice given by senior a reproductive health expert, Dr Wanu Bakari Khamis.

Our colleague reports: “Dr Khamis emphasised that the P2 pill, which contains a high concentration of hormones, is strictly an emergency solution and should only be used in urgent, isolated circumstances such as SEXUAL ASSAULT or RAPE.”

First, what is P2 (short for Postinor-2)?  Well, P2 is an emergency contraceptive that’s not intended as a regular  method of contraception. However, if taken within 72 hours of UNPROTECTED intercourse, it will prevent 85 per cent of expected PREGNANCIES.

Now when you report that P2 should be used in cases of sexual assault, you’re making it appear that any form of sexual assault can result to pregnancy, something that’s not true.

Why, sexual assault is any sexual behaviour that someone has not agreed to; where another person uses force, coercion or manipulation. 

Sexual assault is also when someone touches another person inappropriately, or makes another person touch them inappropriately. It further includes unwanted kissing and touching of someone’s genitals, breasts or bottom.

See? A woman doesn’t rush to take a P2 pill after some thug has touched her breast or kissed her forcibly. She’ll require the pill urgently only if a thug RAPES her i.e. have intercourse with her without her consent.

The scribbler reports further: “She EXPLICITLY warned that repeated use of the pill could result in serious health risks, including POTENTIAL infertility.”

We aver that using the qualifiers “explicitly” and “potential” is sheer indulgency in verbosity—drop them and the value of the intended will remain undiluted.

In any case, one may ask, what’s the big deal about “potential” infertility? Is there anyone amongst us who isn’t potentially infertile?

Come Thursday, October 16, and we land a copy of the tabloid that’s associated with this columnist, whose Page 3 has a story entitled, ‘Candidates intensify rallies as CAMPAIGN enters 12-day final stretch’.

There’s an issue with the noun that we’ve capitalised, but the sub who handled this story didn’t notice it, for the intro is thus written: “The presidential CAMPAIGN in Tanzania has entered ITS final stretch with only 12 days remaining….”

We’ve 17 Tanzanians vying for the presidency and these are doing, not a campaign; they’re doing CAMPAIGNS—many! Yes, and yet the word “campaign” (instead of campaigns) appears at least five times in the story. Why?

Finally, we take a look at Bongo’s senior-most broadsheet of Saturday, October 18. On Page 2 of this one, there’s a well-taken, seven-column photo whose caption is thus penned: “Zanzibar CCM presidential candidate, Dr Hussein Mwinyi and his wife, Mama Maryam Mwinyi (right) SUPPORT Kikungwi seafood vendors by purchasing fried fish after holding election campaign rallies at Paje in Unguja South Region yesterday.”

The observable fact is that the VIP couple is buying fried fish (the reason of which is not the caption writer’s business). We would probably back the use of the word “support” if we saw the Hon President and First Lady dishing out cash to the vendors to boost their capital, right?

Finally, a look into the pullout of the Saturday magazine at in which a columnist writes: “Manhood is a constantly evolving disease…Once you treat one bacterium, ANOTHER virus flares up.”

 By using the determiner “another,” the scribbler is unwittingly suggesting that “bacterium” is the same thing as “virus.” That, however, is incorrect.

Our rewrite: Once you treat one bacterium, ANOTHER “one” flares up. Or you may simply say, “…another flares up.”

Ah, this treacherous language called English!

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