Adesuwa Omon’s short film ‘Grapes’ takes a look at rape culture and victim blaming

Tackling rape via the media can never be exhausting. Women – and men – are using the medium to address how endemic it has become. In Adesuwa Omon’s short film Grapes, which debuted on YouTube early February, Linda (Aiwansosa Itohan) makes a drunken call from a house party to her friend Vera (Obuseh Princess), asking her to pick her up. After some persistence, Vera agrees and goes fetch her. Before she arrives, some guy at the party spots Linda and lures her into a room where he attempts to rape her.

She manages to escape and we don’t see where she goes but Vera arrives at the party, asking around for her friend. She’s then lured into the same room by a friend of the would-be rapist, pretending he can take her to Linda. Vera is raped by both men.

Much later happens post-rape as Vera tries to seek help. What Grapes does, quite well really, is to highlight the counter-productiveness of victim blaming when it comes to rape. By putting the blame of the victim, the rapist is absolved of wrongdoing. The process causes secondary victimisation for victims which can be perpetuated by individuals and institutions.

Grapes is Omon’s first film and it will be interesting to see what she does next.

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