ISSUE OF FACELESS SEXUALITY AND TRAUMA BY AMMA DARKO

1.1 Introduction

According to Faceless (2003), Amma Darko's gendered text about the tragic experiences of children on the mean streets of Accra, opens with a wrenching rape scene at the Agbogbloshie market. In shocking and lurid details, Darko's narrative captures the horrid reality females, especially young teenage girls, endures and cannot escape. The almost surrealistic scenery of the rape act translates as vicious and relentless violations of the female body and desperate efforts of very young girls to defend their feminine space. The opening scene marks an attempt to crush the female body. This startling opening narrative signifies Darko's artistic predilections. Darko will not rein in her voice as the issues confronting her subjects are urgent and alarming.

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

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1.2 Background of Study

Faceless, by Amma Darko was written in 2003. It is the third novel after Beyond the Horizon and The Housemaid. It is the tragic story of street children in Accra, Ghana told through a chaotic urban fabric where pressing social issues like the gap between rich and poor, HIV/AIDS, broken families and the role of women in society are all-pervasive. This study focused on the sexuality and trauma that faced by women all over the world especially in developing countries like Africa countries. It is very obvious that women in the Africa are subjected to dehumanization because of the traditional status and other social economically issues. This topic has relationship with theme of the text. Both theme and the topic centered on sexual assault and harassment women in the society pass through as a result of the issue of discrimination.

Discrimination against women is a constant theme of the novel and symbolically Baby T is representative of the sins visited upon all women in a society where from birth women are discriminated against and made responsible not only for their sins, but for those of men in society. Nothing goes right when men are involved and many of the male characters in the novel are murderers, child abuses, rapists or simply good for nothings. Fate of women in society is a major theme of the novel, it plays itself out through a street children narrative which allows Darko the scope for powerful social commentary that demonstrates the personal tragedy of each and every child that ends up on the streets.

It is concerned in particular with evidence of what are perceived as escalating diminutions and disruptions in parental care in postcolonial big cities, processes which have profound implications for infants, children and human development and its sustainability. Indeed they are critical for African future development among youth. The term ‘child abuse and neglect’ refer to the harm experienced by children or young people under the age of 18 years as a result of the actions, inactions or inability of people with a parental responsibility for them. Parental responsibility in relation to a child means all the duties, powers, responsibilities and authority which, by law, parents have in relation to children. The harm experienced by the child or young person may arise from a significant event or may arise from the cumulative effect of abuse and neglect. One of the major child abuses in Africa society is that of sexual abuse.

Sexual abuse occurs when a child has been exposed or subjected to sexual behaviours that are exploitative and/or inappropriate to his/her age and developmental level. Examples include sexual penetration, inappropriate touching, and exposure to sexual acts or pornographic materials. The harm experienced by a child as a result of these behaviours needs to be, or likely to be, detrimental in effect and significant in nature on the child’s wellbeing. Harm which may result from sexual abuse includes significant emotional trauma, physical injury, infections and impaired emotional and psychological development.

Consideration may need to be given to contextual elements in determining if a situation is abusive, such as the role of coercion or unequal power in a relationship that is claimed to be consensual or socially sanctioned. This is particularly important in relation to sexual behaviour between children as the children’s respective ages, developmental level and the nature of the relationship are important considerations. Therefore, the study is targeting at escalating the sexuality and trauma that confronted women in the society using the criticism point of view and close the gap of their fall out.

Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Issue of Faceless Sexuality and Trauma by Amma Darko.

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1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation revealed that the problem of sexual harassment and female sexual objectification is increasing by the day most scholars have critically looked at the consequences of such type of sexuality in which women are victims of sexual assault. However, the alarming statistics of sexual violence and its prevalence is worrisome and Africa writer are seriously fictionalizing works that are deplete of sexual harassment and assault against the vulnerable in the society. Critics have considered sexuality from the point of view of feminism but no writer have ever to my knowledge treated Amma Darko’s Faceless on theme of sexuality and trauma and the research feels. The theme is a glaring evidence of trauma and sexuality assault of many characters. This work discovers lacuna or gap that was created by the absence of critical studies of this area this research intend to fill.

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1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to examine the Issue of Faceless Sexuality and Trauma By Amma Darko. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To explore the sexuality and trauma themes that affect women in the text
2. To examine feminism on novel faceless by Amma Darko
3. To describe the detestable environment in faceless by Amma Dako
4. To explore thematic issues that affect sexuality and trauma against women by men in the works selected for study

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1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Does women playwrights and female imaging in contemporary Africa emerge?
• What is the role of feminism on novel faceless by Amma Darko?
• What are the sexuality and trauma themes that affect women in the text?
• To what extent would gender aspect on novel faceless by Amma Darko be analyzed?
• What are thematic issues that affect sexuality and trauma against women by men in the works selected for study?

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1.6 Significance of Study

This research work is an exploration of the issues affecting the development of girl child from various perspective of life. This study reveals another dimension from which Faceless can be viewed and exposes its relevance. Comments and reviews have been done on these novel but few or none have studied these works of art from the aspect which this study has chosen to do this work. Therefore, this study is an attempt to evaluate the protagonists as typical teenagers who are relating their experience as challenges of the average woman in her various environments.

The study also hopes to highlight the problem associated with gender and make use of improving equality thereby minimizing the problems associated with gender in its environment. Finally, the study will inform the whole, the sexuality and trauma themes that affect women in the text.

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1.7 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused on the Issue of Faceless Sexuality and Trauma By Amma Darko. It will not exceed the primary text as it is not empirical study. This research focuses on women sexuality and trauma by men in Facelesswritten to discourage sexual abuse against teenagers. It is gathered materials other research works from the literary.

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1.8 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
3. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
4. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).