Prevalence of rape, pedophilia in Nigeria; The way out
In recent times, reports of rape and paedophilia have cascaded the pages of national dailies and social media. Reports on how young kids are sodomised, abused, molested and how young women have been made to face horrifying experiences of their lives. Cases of rape and acts of paedophilia are so alarming that they have become […]
In recent times, reports of rape and paedophilia have cascaded the pages of national dailies and social media. Reports on how young kids are sodomised, abused, molested and how young women have been made to face horrifying experiences of their lives.
Cases of rape and acts of paedophilia are so alarming that they have become a daily occurrence in Nigeria. It’s barbaric act against everyone: young or old, male or female, though it has a higher rate of occurrence among the females.
It is pertinent to understand that a nexus exists between rape, defilement and paedophilia in terms of the abuse and imprint left on the victims, and so they are mostly used interchangeably. By and large, defilement is believed to be an unlawful sexual intercourse with an underage girl – below the age of 12 – and rape, the same act above the age of 12 – this is as explained by Section 218 of the 2004 Criminal Code Act.
Regardless of their differences, they all portray sexual abuse against humanity. They are all acts that have rendered the lives of many people useless. Children with great dreams of becoming doctors, lawyers, bankers, etc have watched their dreams and dignity scattered and taken away by some maniac paedophiles or rapists.
Rape/paedophilia is an act that hurts the victims in physical, psychological and sociological ways.
Victims of rape/paedophilia suffer psychological problems such as depression, panic attack, self blame, isolation, aggression, feeling of shame and may even turn suicidal.
The effects of sexual assault is even more severe on the part of females as they are the major victims of the barbaric act. Health problems such as vaginal bleeding or infection, Hypo active Sexual Disorder, Unwanted pregnancy, Vaginal inflammation, HIV/AIDS and even death occur as a result of sexual assault.
As if that’s not enough, victims and family as a result have to live the rest of their lives in stigmatization and infamy.
Young kids with bright future have been made to lose their self-esteem because of the cruel act of paedophilia against them.
Early this year, a picture of a young girl wearing a white T-shirt up to her knee, stained with blood went viral on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter etc for being raped by an unknown man. Then I start to wonder, “How is she going to survive people’s harsh comments?”, “How will she cope in the world of hypocrites; where she’d be pitied for a while then mocked after?”
I could remember vividly, when I was much younger, my mom would call on us both the females and males and give us sexual orientation. She even came up with the idea of telling us “If a man touches you, your stomach will get big and you’d die”. But many parents have replaced that with the search for greener pastures. Imagine a mother going to work by 7am and returning by 9pm when the kids would have gone to bed. Most parents would blame the Nigerian economy and the need to go out for greener pastures. Regardless I believe parents should dedicate time for their kids. Every kid deserves sex education. Teach them what is vagina, penis, breasts, sexual intercourse, pregnancy, AIDS/ HIV etc.
You might be worried about how to educate them if they’re young, however there’s something I read, called Age Appropriate Messaging. It’s not too big to tell a 3-year-old girl “Don’t sit on a man’s lap”, “Don’t allow any man touch your breast or vagina”. Furthermore, parents should maintain a closer relationship with their children. Ask them not to keep secret as the rapists would obviously tell them “Don’t tell anyone”.
In addition, parents shouldn’t leave their children alone with a stranger or family members when they won’t be around for long. Most acts of sexual abuse are done by close and trusted relations. Just like the case of the 27-year-old man caught fondling his 11-month-old niece in Ogun State. There is also the need for parents to censor what their children view, their watch list must be appropriate to their age.
Nigerians should be educated on how the barbaric act of rape stands as a threat to our great country Nigeria and the need to work together to help the victims and make Nigeria a safer place for our women and children, whose well-being is tantamount to a progressive society.
Owolabi Kuburat Omobolanle