Recently, the Chairperasson of National
Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, Kaduna State Chapter, Mrs. Juliet
Oyoyo, condemned in strong terms any form of discrimination against women.
Mrs. Oyoyo said current laws were too lenient
to deter offenders from acts of rape, saying that the only possible way of
nipping the “madness” in the bud was for government at all levels to enact laws
that induce stiff penalty such as death or life imprisonment.
She lamented the dimensions rape has now taken,
adding that it has gone beyond mere affection and that women and children are
the major victims. Her words: “The thing is on the increase now. It is not only
here in Nigeria, but all over the world. It pains me as a mother to hear about
a 70-year-old man raping a child of even six months. So, one will want to ask
the question: What is the attraction? To me, a lot of us see it beyond that. It
is a ritual kind of thing.
It has exceeded the issue of attraction, lust
or sodomy.
“You see, why this thing is rampant is because
the government is silent on it, even the judiciary. They have not yet enacted
laws that will prescribe punishment like life imprisonment or even yet –
sentenced to death. When there are laws like this, honestly other people will
learn from it. On our own part as women journalists, we have been suggesting that
government, through the National Assembly, make laws to deter prospective
perpetrators. We are, also, creating awareness for women on how to protect
themselves and their children against rapists. As it is now, the moment you
have a girl-child, you are afraid because you cannot leave her in the house
with your neighbour or even your relatives. Are they telling us that it has now
become a crime to have female children? Honestly we are worried”.
Another person who expressed sadness over incessant
rape cases in the country is the Director- General of Legal Aid Council, Mrs.
Joy Bob-Manuel.
She spoke on access
to justice for the poor, which is a project to assist the poor. Mrs. Bob-Manuel
said she was looking for a society where discrimination against women,
children, and people living with disabilities would be eradicated.
Preventing potential rape she noted, “In an
ideal world, the best way to prevent a potential rape is to educate all men to respect
and help women. It is good to first educate the men on how to respect and help
women. If this is achieved, then there won’t be any form of sexual assault on
females again.
We need a holistic approach to curb the menace.
Let the government do its part, the judiciary, security agencies, religious
leaders, traditional rulers, parents and even the children so that the world
will be safer for us all.”
An Islamic scholar, Alhaji Abdulwahab Garba
Naibi has also observed that Islam condemns rape, especially that of the
minors. According to him, Sharia stipulates that anybody caught in the act should
be killed or sentenced to life imprisonment, adding that increase in rape cases
should be of concern to those in authority, whether as public office holders,
private or even religious leaders.
Alhaji Garba frowned at indecent dressing and
the inability of some parents to correct their children or wards in dressing
manner. He observed that some parents even buy clothes that expose parts of the
body for their children, especially the female ones, thereby exposing them to
sexual assaults and other types of violence.
He, however, stressed that, even when a woman
is not well dressed, or seen alone, or whatever, there is no justification to
assault her or take advantage of her loneliness to perpetrate any evil against
her.
In the opinion of 21-year-old Ms. Gladys
Ephraim, rape victims should be properly schooled on reporting their cases to
family members, and by extension to the appropriate authorities, knowing that
it will help to stop the perpetrator against the next person.
She encouraged parents and guardians to allow their
female children to undergo Taekwondo or Kungfu training for self-defense
whenever the need arises; adding that the notion that such trainings are for military
personnel should be erased from their minds. Ms. Ephraim added that what the
society has turned into demands devising every means to be at alert because
there is nobody to trust again.
Source: Vanguard
Say "NO" to Rape & Sexual
Violence - Walk Against Rape Nigeria
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