Chinyere Udeh

The Mystery of a Stolen Virginity Chinyere Udeh

Many women in the third world and even some civilized countries

have been victims of rape and other forms of sexual molestation at one

time or the other. The situation is worse in Africa, where such incidents

go unreported because of fear of stigmatization by society.




In many parts of Africa, the girl-child grows up in an environment that

exposes her to physical, mental, emotional, and sexual abuse that leaves

physical and emotional scars she carries all her life. In The Mystery of a

Stolen Virginity, Charlotte grew in such an environment where she faced

a series of physical, emotional, and sexual molestation. She believed she

had successfully navigated through her treacherous environment and

successfully preserved her virginity for her eventual husband, Anthony

Camper- a loving and very caring man. Throughout their courtship,

sexual relationship was excluded and reserved for the magical wedding

night. It is ironic, even tragic, when she and her husband discovered on

their wedding night that the much cherished and respected virginity

had mysteriously disappeared. This shocking discovery raises several

questions: To whom, when, and where did Charlotte Camper loose her

virginity? Did Charlotte know that she was no longer a virgin? Can

their young marriage survive this early shock?