By Gbenga Sodeinde
With reported cases of gender based violence in recent times in many parts of the country, experts have said that the act can only be tackled through stricter legislation, training and community engagement.
Speaking at a capacity building with parents and guardians on better ways to respond to and prevent sexual abuse among other forms of social violence in children, tagged, You care, I care project, organised by Bays Planet Foundation in Ilorin at the weekend, executive director of the organization, Baliqees Salaudeen, urged parents to take good care, relate well with them and seek justice.
She said that the engagement was crucial, adding that prevalent social challenges had led to loss of virtue and morality in the society.
“Back in 2020, the United Nations Women’s research revealed that thousands of women were raped, and the number includes children who were raped to death. This is just the number of reported cases. We live in a country where many are afraid of stigma. So, they don’t report cases of sexual abuse”, she said.
Salahudeen said that she had had to attend to sexual violence and rape cases in the state for over a couple of years with other female advocates to ensure justice for the victims.
“From an old man who is a neighbour raping a 4-year-old girl, to a young married man having sex with a 15-year-old girl, and many others all in our state of Harmony. It’s an unbelievable situation.
“Just a few days ago, a four-year-old girl, Khadija Adamu, in Kano died three days after being raped. A court in Yaba Lagos arraigned two brothers aged 10 and 15 for raping a four-year-old girl.
“Every day, someone somewhere in Nigeria is either being sexually or socially assaulted, or raped, and there, is no age discriminations in these acts. We agree that the government can do better in ensuring a safe country for all”.
She said that the engagement may not prevent the criminal act 100 per cent, adding that the meeting aimed to discuss what stakeholders should do and how to seek justice when it happened.
“In more precise efforts, my team and I have invited everyone here to harmonize ideas on how to protect our wards from the terrible snare of sexual and social violence from our relatives, their school teachers, classmates, or complete strangers.
“Because trust me, even fathers abuse their daughters, and so do uncles, distant cousins, and every other man without the fear of God and humanity”.
Also speaking, the state chairperson, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA, Mrs. Gloria Okoduwa, urged parents to take care of their children and give them attention.
“Parents should start taking care of their children, be close to them, speak with them, tell them to be good. Our children should be able to speak out on anything and they should be able to confide in their parents in any situation. We should start training the boys for the future of our girls.
The Head of Gender, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Kwara state Command, DSC Dada Rachael, also urged parents to pay attention to their children, saying that, “sex education is very important. Parents should teach their children sex education, we need to educate our children especially when they are young. It is everybody’s business. Let us love our children”.
Another Law expert and gender advocate, Anthonia Erinfolami Daniel Esq, Executive Director Theois Caregivers Initiative, said that there are two separate laws in Kwara state that protect children; the child right law and violation against person and prohibition law.
She, however, decried sexual molestation in the state and called for justice, stressing the need to be friend with the children and be their second father and mother they can talk with.