In Africa, lesbian women are "cure"-raped. The men who gang rape them wander freely around, although enough evidence exists that could prosecute them in any court of law. Closer home, I know of numerous cases of domestic violence, mental torture and daily humiliation that educated and intelligent women have accepted as a course of life. And personally, I have had my share of being felt up, groped and leched at in my hometown as well as some of the more developed and westernised cities in the world.

I surprised myself the other day by drawing faith from a corny chain email doing rounds on Women's Day.

A note to myself based on the contents:
To have enough money within my control to move out and rent a place of my own, even if I never want or need to;
To have something perfect to wear if my employer, or the date of my dreams wants to see me in an hour;
To have a youth I am content to leave behind;
To have a past juicy enough that I'm looking forward to retelling it in my old age;
To have one friend who always makes me laugh, and one who lets me cry;
To have a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in the family;
To have a feeling of control over my destiny;
Know how to fall in love without losing myself;
Know how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend without ruining the friendship;
Know when to try harder and when to walk away;
Know that I can't change the length of my calves, the width of my hips, or the nature of my parents;
Know that my childhood may not have been perfect, but it's over;
Know what I would and wouldn't do for love or more;
Know how to live alone, even if I don't like it;
Know who I can trust, who I can't, and why I shouldn't take it personally;
Know where to go - be it to my best friend's kitchen table, or a charming inn in the woods - when I need soothing; and probably the most important of them all
Know what I can and can't accomplish in a day, a month and a year