NGOs call for commitment to end sexual, gender-based violence

Some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Abuja yesterday called for commitment from security agencies towards securing the conviction of sex offenders in the country. The coalition said that would curb the high rate of activities of perpetrators of sexual violence against women and girls. It added that change of attitude of the enforcers of the laws […]

Some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Abuja yesterday called for commitment from security agencies towards securing the conviction of sex offenders in the country.

The coalition said that would curb the high rate of activities of perpetrators of sexual violence against women and girls.

It added that change of attitude of the enforcers of the laws would encourage victims and relatives to speak out on the crime.

The organisations made this known at a Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Awareness rally organised by the Disability Right Advocacy Centre (DRAC).

The rally was to commemorate the 2018 “16 Days of Activism against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence”.

Mrs Irene Patrick-Ogbogu, the DRAC Executive Director, said the lives and reproductive health of children and women were constantly being destroyed through acts of violence.

Patrick-Ogbogu said law enforcement agencies needed to put more effort towards the prosecution and conviction of perpetrators to reverse the ugly trend of sexual and gender-based violence in the society.

She said statistics have shown that the number of children and women sexually molested on a daily basis was increasing at an alarming rate.

“We are worried about the rising spate of sexual and gender-based violence in the country. We are just as concerned at the low rate of convictions of perpetrators of these offences.

“This rally coincides with the beginning of the trial of the lecturer in Benue State who together with his son, raped and tortured an eight-year-old girl (Ochanya) until she eventually died at age 13 from complications arising from the abuse.

“There is the case of 6-month old Khadija, sexually molested by her own father and 14-year-old Obiamaka gang-raped to death by miscreants because she turned down their overtures.

“We are demanding that law enforcement agents become more proactive in the way they handle issues of gender-based violence.

“We want to see more prosecutions and convictions of perpetrators. We need these people arrested; we no longer want to hear that cases are being swept under the carpet or covered up,” she said.

She explained that 71 per cent of female children would experience sexual violence before they turned 18.

“In our higher institutions, young girls are raped or forced to exchange sex for marks.

“In IDP camps, women and girls are forced to exchange sex for protection and provision. Preying on the vulnerable is wicked and unconscionable,” Patrick-Ogbogu said.

Mrs Agnes Hart, Director, Gender Development, Social Development Secretariat, FCT, said the secretariat had set up a response team in the territory to ensure prompt response to cases of sexual violence.

Hart said that the team was always available to receive reports on cases of sexual violence and work to ensure that such issues were addressed appropriately.

She called on the residents to take advantage of this avenue by reporting all possible acts of sexual violence.