By Bayan Nalubwama
If no immediate, strong action is done, the entertainment world is likely to reach a point when sexual harassment against artists, on and off stage is not news anymore. While cases of women celebrities are louder than those of men, the impact on all artists is the same. During one of his performances in Sweden, Nigerian star Omah Lay was attacked on stage by a female fan who threw herself on him and he fell down on the floor. The fan then got on top of him. Fortunately, the Security men managed to pull the woman off the singer and led her off the stage. Another Nigerian artist Ruger once left the stage in Rwanda after a female fan grabbed and squeezed his manhood. Recently, Musician Sheebah Karungi took to her social media and narrated how a client sexually harassed her before she went on stage to perform.
In the video, Sheebah said that the old pervert was trying to be funny with her. “They just opened my car with his security team, they found me asleep as I was about to step on stage. He was trying to be inappropriate in front of my team members…no shame, no remorse, nothing! I was so angry that I almost didn’t perform but then I respect my job.” She revealed in the video.
Not mentioning her abuser has left many thinking and wondering whether it was a public stunt or she is scared for her life because in the video, the nkwata bulungi singer doesn’t reveal the identity of the man that harassed her. All she revealed was that he is a big man with strong security, ‘SFC’
Sheebah’s incident adds her to a list of other Ugandan celebrity victims who have had fans sneak their fingers in their private parts.
During one of his performances, Chosen Blood came face to face with a female fan who was trying to force her hand into his parts. Fortunately, he realized it in time and quickly pushed her hand away.
Vinka once angrily kicked out at a male fan twice after he stretched his hand and touched her private parts during her performance in South Sudan. The fan was saved by a security that pulled her away to continue with her performance.
Winnie Nwagi also slapped a fan during her stage performance at Nexus lounge for repeatedly sneaking his fingers into her private part. That was not the first time for Nwagi to defend herself. In 2018, during her performance in London, Winnie grabbed a fan’s phone and smashed it trying to record her while she performed.
Renah Nalumansi also slapped a male fan who was trying to put a coin in her pants while she performed on stage.
Just recently during the Easter holiday, Martha Mukisa was harassed by a male fan that touched her private part while she was performing. Unlike the other victims, Martha quickly advised him to control his hands and lust or else he would be relocated to a very far position.
While feminists have focused more on fighting this sexual harassment, most fans have come and claimed in defense that the celebrities wear very revealing clothes and seduce these fans through the dances during the shows.
“Much as I sympathize with @Ksheebah1 for what allegedly happened to her, she really needs to improve her dressing, cover more of her body and reduce the provocative dances on men’s laps. #Sheebah is too sexual.” Said a one Mike Odong on Twitter
Another follower, Kissa also attributed the assault to dress code, “You can advocate for it as many times as you want but I believe we shall remain in the circles, you dress up indecently exposing, it doesn’t men “yes” or “give men permission to touch your body” but it will trigger sexual thoughts in their body which they will want to fulfill. Let me give an example, masturbating, most people don’t want to masturbate but when they keep on repeating the cycle by watching porn they end up masturbating and later feel guilty but it’s because when the brain is exposed to nudity it has to react.” He said
Such statements have however been trashed by women representatives in the music industry. They say that there is no justification for sexual harassment since many men rape toddlers and molest the aged.
“The dress code is not the cause because rape cannot be justified. It won’t be long when we will hear cases of women raping boys and men assaulting boys sexually. Rape is an abomination that should be stopped. You have heard cases of young men who rape old women. Can you still say it’s about the dress code?” Joanita Kawalya commented on Sheebah’s case.
Mariam Ndagire has asked men to desist from thinking that a woman’s dress code speaks for her. “Men should stop thinking that one’s dress code is reason enough to force a woman into bed. It is okay to look at someone and appreciate but don’t let sexual desires take over your mind.”
Among the other artists that have come out to defend the female victims is Maro who said that the dress code is a cheap excuse for men’s inhuman act as they can control the sex urge just as they control anything else.
