I’m sharing this anonymously because I’m still a minor, and I need this heard without exposing who I am.

A few weeks ago, a man in his late twenties approached me. I didn’t realize at first that he was interested in more than conversation. He invited me to meet him, and talked about a job opportunity something I was genuinely excited about, because I’ve been responsible for most of my own needs for a while now. Later, he brought up wanting a relationship. I told him no, and mentioned my age. He is nearly twice as old as I am.

After I said no, the “job” talk disappeared. Weeks later, he reappeared, seemingly with a change of heart. I was vulnerable and needed help replacing a broken device. He offered to help if I would be intimate with him. I said yes, believing it would be a one-time exchange to solve a real problem I had no other way to solve. Afterward, he stopped responding about what he’d promised.

When I reported this, an officer told me that because I “agreed,” there was nothing that could legally be done that it was my fault.

Under Nigerian law, the age of consent is 18. A minor’s agreement in a situation like this is not a legal defense, and it should never be treated as one by the people meant to protect us. I’m sharing this so other girls know: needing something you can’t otherwise get is not consent, and being dismissed by one official doesn’t mean the law is on his side.