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Tag: rape

  • Thoughts on rape, defilement

    Thoughts on rape, defilement

    A paper delivered by Mrs Vera Chinwuba, a lawyer, at a symposium on the Rape Menace: ending the silence on rape organised by the Action Group on Adolescent Health, College of Medicine, University of Lagos Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

    •Continued from last week

    Generally, many forensic evidence are often considered scientific evidence like DNA matching, finger print identification and hair/fiber evidence. The human body that has been violated and raped is also a crime scene. Does Nigeria apply forensic evidence in rape cases in Nigeria? Do we have skilled personnel equipped to handle forensic investigation in the Nigerian police for purposes of handling rape cases? Do we have specialised medical practitioners on forensic examination, even if the answer is in the affirmative why is forensic examination not applied in investigation of rape cases in Nigeria? For instance, equipment like forensic camera that can be used to record incident of rape that took place a month after because with that you will still be able to get the marks. The police do not apply forensic knowledge in prosecution of rape cases. Biological evidence such as semen, blood, virginal secretion, saliva and virginal epithelial cells collected with a kit are used in other jurisdictions in rape and sexual abuse trials. All these are lacking in Nigeria Police prosecution of rape cases.

    Many scientists are currently working on using functional magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI for rape prosecution. It is a new type of lie detection machine. It works by imaging in real time, the flow of blood around the brain). For the medical examiner adequate care must be taken during examination of rape victim. They must be trained to identify genital injury resulting from sexual assault, the prevalence and location genital injury provides only a partial description of the nature of trauma associated with sexual assault. Anogentilal injury location can be classified as external (Labia majora, labia minora, pericurethral area perineum and posterior fourchelle), internal fossa navicularis, hymen, virgina, cervix and anal (anus and rectum).

    There is need for judges and juries to be conversant with these issues. Nigeria needs to move with the rest of the world.

    Prevention of rape 

    There are certain precautionary measures to be taken to protect yourself from being a victim of rape.  Note that rape may still occur, but you can proactively protect yourself against a penitential assault.

    (a)  Bad touch:  Children must be taught at a very tender age what I personally termed ‘’bad touch’’. As growing children, they must be made to understand that their breast area and wee-wee bombom are special to them and therefore no one should touch them there.  If anyone does that call for help. This way the children will easily understand that no one has the right to fiddle with these areas.

    (b)  Self-consciousness by listening to your intuition.  Be aware of your environment, don’t walk alone but in company of trusted friends, avoid isolated public places eg. In campuses, churches especially during night vigil and surrounding areas. Don’t go out alone or with a person you do not know.  The person could lure you to den of rapists.  Don’t use headphones when walking alone.  Always ensure that your phone is fully charged.  Don’t keep late nights.

    (c)  Social gathering: Don’t leave your drink unattended to if you are at a club.  A potential rapist could slip a date rape drug into your drink.  If you must leave it get a new drink when you come back.

    (d) Social media:  Rapists use social media platforms a lot to locate and monitor their victims.  Don’t wear revealing clothes.  Dress appropriately and decently at all times.

    Challenges

    The attitude of the victims and their families pose great challenge to prosecution of rape cases.  Some of them hold back information and do not cooperate with security agencies in prosecution of these cases.  The assault leaves long emotional effects, sexually transmitted diseases and wounds.  Some victims have committed suicide because of rape.   Families are threatened by some individuals and groups over persecution.  Slow pace of investigation and justice dispensation coupled with police extortion from the victims are some of the many challenges in persecution of rape cases.

    Suggestons

    There is need for paradigm shift in the entire legal system for persecution of rape cases.  A dedicated legal frame work for victims of rape to get justice should be instituted immediately.

    The culture of silence caused by fear of stigmatization, and family members and relations who discourage victims from speaking up should be repudiated. By speaking up rapists would be brought to justice and that would serve as deterrent to others.

    The police as a matter of urgent concern should introduce forensic evidence in prosecution of rape cases.  The police personnel should be trained and equipped to carry out forensic examination at the scene such that blood sample, semen, saliva  can be collected as done in other jurisdictions.  The various police commands should establish rape desks dedicated to carrying out investigation of cases.

    Medical Doctors/practitioners should be trained on how to examine victims.  This is particularly very important because the prosecution relies partly on medical report to prove the offence of rape during trial.  Shoddy medical report is usually a problem during persecution.

    Emphasis should be placed on rape prevention in schools, communities, neighbourhood.  While a national prevention programme at the local and national levels should be encouraged.

    The Directorate of Public Prosecution should expedite action on issuing legal advice to forestall delay in trial.

    Victims complained police extortion.  eg. Transport fare.  The Police should be equipped with necessary infrastructure to discharge its duties efficiently.

    Stakeholders should organise enlightenment programmes at community where everybody should made to understand that we do not want rapists in our community.

    Trauma and counselling centres should be established where victims can go and regain confidence.

    Finally, the office of the attorney general of the federation and minister of justice, and commissioners of Justice should monitor prosecution of rape cases or even take over prosecution.

    In conclusion, l have critical examined the legal implication of offence of rape in Nigeria with emphasis on the legal provisions, the procedure for victims justice.  I also looked at the challenges in prosecution due to lack of application leading to low rate of conviction compared increasing cases of rape in Nigeria.  Rape as a criminal offence and social menace should be accorded priority attention by ensuring that rapists are brought to justice expeditiously.  Nigerians should be breaking news grounds in forensic knowledge in cases of rape in Nigeria.

    • Concluded

  • Against rape

    •The laws have to be more stringent and enforceable

    News that over 1,000 women were raped in Kwara State in 2016 is jolting, and calls for greater social efforts to combat rape.  Quoting statistics supplied by the Kwara State Ministry of Women Affairs, the founder, Saab Foundation, Sa’adat Bibire, observed that the figure indicated that the crime had escalated in the state and required urgent attention.

    Bibire highlighted the need for action against rape and other crimes against women during the foundation’s campaign in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital. The campaign, tagged ‘Walkathon against rape,’ involved a march around the city by the organisation’s members and supporters who carried placards to raise awareness of gender-based violence, particularly rape.

    The exercise was a commendable social service, and helped to draw attention to a serious social problem. Bibire captured the reality and extent of the problem: “Rape could be spiritual or psychological. Rapists are either animals or devils. Rape victims should speak up. They should stop blaming or hating themselves throughout their lives and they should not end up committing suicide. It is not their fault.” She also projected the group’s role: “We are creating awareness for gender-based violence. We are working to make people know that these things are real. People are not just cooking up stories on the internet. These things happen. We are having this ‘walkathon’ to make them know that if it happens to them, God forbid; we will take the case up for them.”

    There must be reasons for rape and its escalation, but there can be no reason for its accommodation. Though national statistics on rape are unavailable, there is no question that, going by the reported cases, it is a crime that is unfortunately on the increase nationwide. Indeed, it may be said that the problem is very close to crisis point, considering recent reports of cases where the victims were children and the elderly.

    Rape is described as “a severely under-reported crime.” Also, it has been observed that “Inconsistent definitions of rape, different rates of reporting, recording, prosecution and conviction for rape create controversial statistical disparities, and lead to accusations that many rape statistics are unreliable or misleading.”

    However, there is no denying that in Nigeria the rape rate has become alarmingly high. This explains Bibire’s appeal to the authorities to do something about it. She was quoted as saying: “I am calling on the National Assembly and the 36 houses of assembly to make laws against rape and other domestic violence stricter and more enforceable. They need to do something. They are representing us and they need to stand for us. It could be their sisters, friends and mothers.”

    Her suggestions are useful and deserve consideration: “There is a lot government can do. They can start by reviewing the laws. There are laws against rape but they are rigid. They are actually favouring the rapists, because you have a law saying that there has to be a witness during the penetration. How is that possible?” She added: “A rapist is smart enough to make sure that nobody will be there when he is going to do the evil act. So, how can you have somebody that will witness the penetration? That is favouring the rapist. They need to amend the laws to favour the unfortunate victims.”

    There is no doubt that rape is a subject for sociological enquiry. Its magnitude is a sad reflection of a collapse of values. It would appear that time-honoured morality is the ultimate victim.

    But the matter is too grave to be left to philosophising. Tackling it requires practical action, particularly in the areas of restraining laws and enforcement institutions. Ultimately, rape is a crime that should be punished with severity to underline its unacceptability.

  • Man, 35, faces ‘rape charge’

    •Gets N1m bail

    A 35-year-old man, Godwin Stanley, who allegedly abducted a 15-year-old girl and defiled her, has been granted bail by a Surulere Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

    The Magistrate, Mr. Aro Lambo, granted the accused bail at N1million with two sureties in like sum.

    He said one of the sureties must be a property owner within the jurisdiction of the court, while other surety should be a community leader or a cleric.?

    The magistrate said the sureties should provide evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State government.

    Mohammed, who lives at Ajia Street, Ijeshatedo, Lagos, pleaded not guilty.

    The prosecutor, Anthonia Osayande, told the court that the accused committed the offences on July 22 in his home about 8:30a.m.

    She said the accused unlawfully abducted the 15-year-old girl out of the custody and protection of her parents with intent to have sex with her.

    Osayande alleged that the accused, who lived in the same compound with parents of the girl, called the girl out, pretending as if he wanted to send her on an errand.

    “After he discovered that parents of the girl had gone to work, he pushed her into his room and raped her.

    “The girl narrated the story to her parents, when they returned from work,” she alleged.

    The offences contravened sections 269 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The case was adjourned till October 10 pending the outcome of legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution.

  • Undergraduate arraigned for alleged rape

    A 400-level student of University of Lagos (UNILAG), Oluwaseyi Anyiam, yesterday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly defiling a fellow student.

    Anyiam, 22, who pleaded not guilty, is studying Actuarial Science. He lives at Ogundare Street, Aguda, Surulere, Lagos.

    The prosecutor, Simeon Imhonwa, said the accused committed the offence at Alagomeji, Ebute-Meta, Lagos, on August 3, about 2 pm.

    He alleged: “The accused had carnal knowledge of the victim without her consent.

    “The accused had invited the victim to an eatery at Alagomeji, but on getting there, he told her he forgot something at home and they should both go and pick it.

    “When they got to the house, they met some of Anyiam’s friends playing music, so they excused themselves and went into the room.”

    Imhonwa alleged the accused offered the victim a drink, which she declined and he started fondling and kissing her.

    “The victim struggled with the suspect, but it was fruitless because of the music his friends were playing and his threat.

    “He eventually had carnal knowledge of the victim without her consent.”

    The prosecutor said the case was brought by UNILAG authorities to the Office of Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT).

    Coordinator of DSVRT Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi said the case was reported to her office on August 7, adding that actions were taken immediately.

    “On August 9, the team went to UNILAG to get the suspects, but was told they had been transferred to Sabo Police Division.

    “We went to the station, but we were told the parties had resolved the issue.

    “The survivor’s advocate requested to see the affected person the following day to ascertain the truth.

    “On August 10, DSVRT met the survivor and her parents.

    “They said they wanted to prosecute, but were told they would be stigmatised and the survivor’s education would be affected.

    “Afterwards, the team counselled the family and made them to realise there’s no stigma in reporting a crime.’’

    The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. B.O. Osunsanmi, granted the accused bail at N500,000 with two reputable sureties with verifiable addresses.

    She said the sureties must provide evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State government.

    Osunsanmi referred the case file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for advice and adjourned the matter till October 19.

  • ‘I am Nigerian, come rape me’

    The ability to fend off rape is a prerequisite of the Nigerian psyche. Vulnerability is a double-edged snare. It incites entrapment, creating a maelstrom of gluttony and death around the vulnerable and ethically frail.

    As you read, modern Nigeria manifests as a labyrinth of lust, an allegory of war and rape. In the wilderness of lust and shame, society becomes ‘slaughter slab,’ the multiple-room brothel, vibrantly themed and decorated for the Nigerian degenerate.

    Degeneracy abounds across societal slabs; across ruling class and the governed, rich and poor divides. While the incumbent ruling class touts its distorted fable of crooked martyrdom, donning the puritan’s cloak, the governed, comprising Nigeria’s teeming impoverished and fast disappearing middle-class, shed blood and brawn to ennoble the monstrosity of their common oppressor, the ruling class.

    Just recently, we saw how spectacularly the Charles Oputa aka Charly Boy-led protest group and a pro-Buhari faction hacked at each other with cudgels of folly and blades of rage.

    Charly Boy, despite harsh criticisms and unsparing mockery trailing his ‘Resume or Resign” campaign, mobilised his “Our mumu don do” civil society-driven movement to protest President Muhammadu Buhari’s elongated medical tourism in the United Kingdom, at Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT)’s Unity Fountain and Wuse Market.

    One school of thought nullifies Charly Boy’s self-painted portrait as modern day hero, calling it an epic fraud. The self-acclaimed ‘Area father’s’ critics deride his professed passion and attempts to ride against violent currents of Nigeria’s tribal, religious bigotries.

    Despite their harsh criticism, Charly Boy’s apologists see him as a stunning, courageous patriot, devoted to restoration of the public parliament’s mythical state of influence and enormous power. To the latter, Charly Boy is the black knight and Nigeria, his damsel in distress.

    From a previous, violently quashed protest at Unity Fountain, Abuja, the Charly Boy gang moved its stage to FCT’s Wuse Market. But rather than join forces with the Area Father and his crew, a pro-Buhari group in the market, issued a decisive response, in a tenor of violence and murderous rage.

    Charly Boy was attacked in Wuse market by angry, pro-Buhari protesters – mostly northern youth. The musician and his cohort of disgruntled youth and cameramen eventually fled for their lives, with the pro-Buhari group hot in pursuit. The pro-Buhari group threw rocks at the 66-year-old, who was eventually rescued by another group of south-eastern youth and security operatives who fired gunshots and tear-gas to disperse the crowd.

    Thus an ethnic crisis was narrowly averted. It took the prompt intervention of security operatives for the situation to be salvaged. Charly Boy eventually suspended the protest, telling his cohort that their point had been made. “My brothers and sisters, I’ll like to say thank you for a good job well done; and to say to my fellow comrades, we’ve made our point, let Nigerians judge… Let Nigerians do the needful, do the right thing,” he said.

    “Permit me, my fellow comrades, to say that we’ve come to the end of this particular sit-out,” he said.

    “Charly Boy caused it, how can he go to Wuse Market to talk against Buhari?” “Those Hausa boys dealt with him…serves him right,” resonates the arguments on social media.

    Expectedly, Nigerians are queued in layers of conflicting perspectives in respect of the Charly Boy’s ill-fated protest.

    Armchair critics analyse the ensuing imbroglio claiming Charly Boy was probably pursuing someone’s agenda. He must be horseman to some political mastermind’s dark schema, they argue. He is too comfortable, too rich and catered for, to indulge in such desperate display of commoners’ grief, argues Nigeria’s armchair Trotskys.

    But that is simply one way to look it. Charly Boy and company perhaps intone a heartfelt misery. Perhaps he isn’t just another child of privilege paying lip service to commoner’s plight, but a true patriot whose love for Nigeria and the country’s suffering and smiley masses, transcends the bounds of his gated paradise.

    At the backdrop of these incidents, President Buhari remains in London on medical vacation spanning 100 days or thereabouts. His anti-corruption fight remains a sham, a pseudo war against institutionalised sleaze. And the National Assembly still impedes the strides of his administration.

    As usual, there were casualties during the recent protests. It is not surprising that the wounded are mostly unemployed youths, impoverished wards of commoners. However, a rare thing occurred by Charly Boy’s exposure to hurt. A child of privilege, like him, shouldn’t indulge in such dangerous enterprise. But Charly Boy did. Was he for real?

    Was his cohort for real? Are they true patriots? Or are they familiar victims of rape? Like hordes of underprivileged youths, were they caught in dizzying sexual dialectic, by which the Nigerian rapist(the ruling class), vainly and methodically strives to plow the raped (clueless, impoverished citizenry) barebacked?

    Did paltry sums change hands? Who paid who to stage a phoney protest? Was it a real protest? Was the pro-Buhari group driven by money or dangerous bigotry? Were both groups comprised of true patriots, seeking Nigeria’s best interests?

    Their savage world of rape is transcended by higher characters, the puppeteers, who determine the extremes of their ordeal but that is a discussion fit for other fora.

    Nigeria would be better off if its youth committed to more laudable ventures; like the pruning of the National Assembly to a unicameral legislature; like protesting against ‘budget padding’ and other corrupt acts by the country’s legislators, the presidency and governors.

    It’s about time Nigerian youth stopped lending themselves as muscles to every devious plot or shady protest for a paltry fee. Let the senators, governors, corporate titans and ministers hiding in the shadows, gather their children to lead the protest marches and their currency-activated bloody massacres.

    Nigerian youths may draw inspiration from their Kenyan peers. Cynthia Muge, 24, had no millions in her bank account. But few days ago, she contested as an independent candidate because she lacked the funds to obtain the Jubilee Party’s nomination form, and defeated five men to secure the Member of Country Assembly (MCA) seat in Kilibwoni Ward, Nandi County.

    Flat broke, the University of Nairobi graduate devised a social media and house-to-house campaign strategy to poll 8,760 votes and beat her closest competitor, Wilson Kiptanui of Jubilee Party’s 8,354 votes.

    John Paul Mwirigi’s story is equally inspiring. The 23-year-old unemployed orphan and sixth of eight siblings, also contested as an independent candidate against veteran politicians of established political parties. He emerged winner, polling 18, 867 against Jubilee Party’s Rufus Miriti, who had 15, 411 votes. Three other seasoned politicians — Mwenda Mzalendo (7,695 votes), Kubai Mutuma (6,331 votes) and Raphael Muriungi, a Deputy Governor, two-tome ex-MP and former Assistant Minister (2,278 votes) — were beaten by him. Yet Mwirigi lives in his family home, a local granary in his village.

    It is about time Nigerian youths assimilated the finer aspects of tact, humaneness, service and humility. The ‘popular’ musicians chanting their political ambitions on platforms of popular parties are undeserving of the citizenry’s votes. The truly committed patriot would distance himself from the usual ogres. Those who wouldn’t are simply out to ‘rape’ or be ‘raped,’ for a fee.

  • ‘Why rape is increase in sexual harassment, drug abuse’

    Two motivational speakers on yesterday blamed the increasing rate of sexual harassment and drug abuse among Nigerian students on the negative contents being transmitted through the social media and entertainment industry.

    They spoke in Lagos at one day seminar organised by the Society of Women Accountants of Nigeria (SWAN) held at the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Lagos.

    Mr Taiwo Akinlami, a Solicitor of the Supreme Court, said that the entertainment industry and social media had failed the society by promoting drugs, sex and violence through the display of nude pictures and smokers.

    He said that sexual harassment, especially in the education environment, was rampant because music, films, jokes and information which children were exposed to, were all adult-content.

    He said that sexual harassment did not exist in isolation as other issues were linked with its perpetration and could be from anyone; either lecturers, non-academic staff, co-students or even the vice-chancellor.

    Akinlami said that sexual harassment thrive in higher institutions because it has lost its dignity as a place of intellect.

    “No one can harass you when you are intellectually sound. But, instead of students of today to read books that will build their intellectual capability, they are on social media watching pornography and listening to music that did not inspire them in anyway.

    “The university is a reasoning environment and if you are not reasonable, you cannot succeed in it. Unfortunately, intellectual discourse is no more rooted in our university environment,” Akinlami said.

    According to him, a properly educated mind will not accept an act of tyranny, because to accept an act of tyranny is an act of intellectual self-disposition.

    “Once an individual’s level of intelligence is poor, he or she is prone to sexual harassment,” Akinlami said.

    He explained that sexual harassment had been criminalised in Nigeria, saying “students must note that no lecturer or anyone is justified to abuse or rape them”.

    Also, Mr Keji Hamilton, the President, Global Centre for Drug Eradication, described the mind as the most powerful weapon of a man.

    He said that if the inflow of what gets into the mind was not conditioned, it would be polluted.

    “What you hear is what you become, it is not possible to hear negative things continually and you do not change negatively,” he said.

    Hamilton urged students to use the social media positively and read education and motivational books regularly.

    He said that many things around us today encourage drugs, especially the hip-hop music which promotes drug, violence and sex.

    “I battled drug addiction for years; now I am a drug rehabilitation expert. I was a drug addict for 15 years.

    “I was Fela Anikulapo’s keyboardist for 15 years, so you can see the extent to which I was on the drug. When one start drugs initially, it’s for pleasure, but later, it turns to disease.

    “When some people watch the music video and see the singer smoking weeds and holding money, they think weeds and money go together,” he said.

    In her remarks, Alhaja Titiola Akibayo, the SWAN National President, said that the event was initiated by a former President of the Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN), Alhaji Alkali Kabiru.

     

     

  • Women’s group protest rape, children defilement in Benue

    Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, on Friday disclosed that the state government in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, Thursday night raided five rest spots (brothels) within Makurdi, the state capital and arrested 72 commercial sex workers.

    The governor, spoke through his Adviser on Security, Col. Edwin Jando, when the Women Situation Room Nigeria, a civil society group, staged a sit-out peaceful protest to the government house Makurdi, against what it called rising incidences of rape and defilement of babies and children in Nigeria.

    The group grumbled that the situation had become worrisome and needed urgent attention, saying it is unfortunate that rapists and defilers of women and children are not properly persecuted.

    The women in company of some young men carried placards and marched through the state police headquarters, DSS office, Central Bank of Nigeria Road to the state government house, where they were addressed.

    Some of their placards read: ‘Say No to Rape, Stop rape and Child Abuse;  Pass VAPP Law in Benue State, Stop girl defilement, CPN opposes rape against women, Implement laws against rape and other related crimes now in Benue….’

    The group said rape and defilement have far reaching effect on the survivors and victims’ families and urged the state government to domesticate law against rape which was passed by the federal government in 2015

    Leader of the group, Magdalene Gbazua, said the Women Situation Room Nigeria in partnership with Alliance Against Domestic Violence and Abuse, AADVA, facilitated the sit-out protest, adding that the black on black attires worn symbolised pain, hurt and grief of the violation of babies, children and women.

    In July alone, Gbazue said Benue State recorded 15 cases of rape where children and girls between the ages of 2-7 were raped, defiled and nothing happened to the rapists.

    The governor, in his response, said rape is a capital offence and promised to press it on the state assembly to make sure the bill is passed and assented to.

  • Police arrest man for routine sex with teenage daughter

    Police arrest man for routine sex with teenage daughter

    A man identified as  Sikiru Odejide(41)  has been arrested by the police in  Ogun state  for  raping his 13 year old daughter repeatedly.
    Odejide was arrested at his  Onihale area of IFO Local Government Area of the state   by  detectives from the Sango Police Station  following a complaint from the girl’s mother who has been separated from him some years ago.
    In a statement by the Police Public Relations Officers, Abimbola Oyeyemi, he said  the mother of the victim reported the matter at the Sango Police station  that her daughter came  to Ijeshatedo area of Lagos to inform her that the suspect was  having steady sex her since December 2016.
     Abimbola added that the suspect was also in the habit of threatening his daughter with death if she dares tell anybody about the incestuous act, prompting the little girl to run to her mother when she could no longer endure the frequent sexual abuse.
    According to the Police Public Relations Officer, the suspect had owned up to the committing the alleged crime but attributed it to Satan.

  • Police, others seek end to rape, domestic violence

    THE  Nigeria Police, Lagos State Command, has been urged to take over the prosecution of gender cases, as well as the abuse of minors or women to ensure they get justice.

    Pleas from perpetrators or dropping of charges by relations or victims should no longer be accepted.

    These were part of the resolutions of participants at a forum where a non-governmental organisation, Women At Risk International Foundation (WARIF) founder, Dr. Kemi DaSilva-Ibru unveiled the report of her survey on sex abuse.

    They included the Nigeria Police, Office of the Public Defender, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, and WARIF.

    About 10 secondary schools from the state’s Education District IV enrolled were participated in the survey titled “The WARIF Educational School Programme (WESP).”

    WARIF, she said, was set up in  response to the high incidence of sexual assault, rape and human trafficking among young girls and women across the country.

    Dr. DaSilva-Ibru said one in four adolescents knew a survivor of rape, one in three identified the abuser as the father and one in every eight girls is willing to report a case of rape or sexual assault.

    The survey, she said, further revealed that 86 percent of the respondents, males and females, believe that sex education could help reduce rape and sexual assaults, and 52 percent of the boys noted that the type of films they watched (pornographic/sexualised images) were responsible for boys’ involvement in rape.

    She said WESP was  a  preventive initiative  implemented  by WARIF, two months ago.

    “The first phase of the initiative set out to establish the prevalence of sexual assault and rape cases among secondary school children in Lagos State, with the approval of the Ministry of Education, through a baseline survey administered. Over 1,000 questionnaires were distributed anonymously to school children between 13 and 16 in 10 selected government secondary schools.

    “The findings obtained were used to design and implement an intervention strategy (Phase 2,  WESP Initiative), consisting of a specifically designed curriculum introduced to the children, parents and teachers, to educate, create awareness and reduce the incidence of gender-based violence in these communities. The findings from the first phase of the baseline survey are now available. Through the WESP initiative, accurate data have been obtained on the prevalence of cases of sexual assault and rape in school children as well as identifying their patterns of behaviour.  This relevant data can be used in implementing important intervention strategies to assist in addressing gender based violence,“ Mrs. DaSilva-Ibru said.

    In response to the need for attention to victims at police stations, the Coordinator, Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), Mrs. Lola Vivour-Adeniyi, said the DSVRT, in collaboration with the police, had sensitised family support units across the state.

    “Equipped with well-trained officers and practitioners, the family support units are geared towards ensuring that victims are given a fair hearing and offered strict confidentiality when sharing their grievances,” she said.

    Deputy Commissioner of Police Bolaji Salam praised WARIF and the WESP initiative, saying the police were committed to ensuring that victims were not only given adequate attention at the family units but that offenders were brought to book.

    On family disputes where members prevent the law from taking its course, by pressuring the victim to withdraw the case or silencing the victim, especially under-aged or disabled, the Director of the Office of the Public Defender, Mrs. Bukola Salami, said the department was working towards ensuring that the state considered as a criminal offence the withdrawal of such cases. “That is a case of disrupting the law and same will be sued,”  Mrs Salami said.

    Dr. DaSilva-Ibru said the WESP initiative was ongoing and that the foundation would expand it and collaborate with the government and other organisations  to make it available to pupils across the nation.

    “And we can do more with financial support from both private and public sponsors,” she added.

  • How two brothers lured, raped, obtained N19, 000 from victim

    How two brothers lured, raped, obtained N19, 000 from victim

    A 22-years old lady (names withheld) Monday narrated to an Ikeja High Court her ordeal in the hands of two brothers, Bright and Chijindu Nwachukwu, who raped and defrauded her of N19, 000.00.

    Bright (31) and Chijindu  (23) are both standing trial before Justice Josephine Oyefeso on two count charge of rape and obtaining money by false pretense.

    The offence, according to the prosecutor, Mrs C.K Tunji- Carrena, are contrary to sections 135, 137 and 312 (3) of the Criminal law of Lagos state 2011.

    The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    Led in evidence by the prosecutor, the victim who is a graduate of Biology and an entrepreneur, told the court that she met the first defendant, Bright for the first time on February 12 this year at Iyana Ipaja, on her way to the University of Lagos, Akoka where she had just graduated to sort out a medical registration.

    She maintained that she had never met him prior to that day.

    The witness said the defendant approached her in French Language and asked her for an address of one Diamond warehouse which she also told him she does not know where it is situated.

    She also noted that there was a man beside Bright who asked me to describe the place to him if I know there.

    She however left the two men at the spot and checked her time after the conversation only for her to realized that she could not meet up with her appointment and decided to return home.

    According to the witness, she met with the first defendant and the other man again on her way home and he asked the same question and she maintained she did not know the place.

    “I wanted to be on my way but the other man that was with him pleaded with me to help him. At this point, Bright handed him some foreign currencies. He held my hand and said that we should follow him.

    “At that moment, I don’t know what I was doing again, I just followed them and we crossed to the other side of the road at Iyana-Ipaja and boarded a bus towards Sango. I paid the transport fare for the three of us and we later alighted at a bus-stop which I didn’t know the name.

    “We took a tricycle to another place where we met the second defendant  Chijindu who disguised as a store-keeper. We entered the place and they brought out something that looks like a photo-film and washed it in a liquid and it turned into a N1000 note.
    ” He folded the money and asked me to take a bite and took an oath that if I tell anyone about what taking place, I would die,” she said.

    She further told the court that the second defendant, Chijindu told her to bring some money so that they can print more money but she did not have cash on her.

    “He collected my ATM card, pin number and headed to the bank.

    “While they (second defendant and storekeeper) were away, the first defendant asked me if I eat fish and I replied in the affirmative. He again reminded me that I would die as a result of the oath I had with him earlier if I tell anybody about what happened.

    “I became so scared and I started crying and I pleaded with him that I don’t want to die. Bright then told me that the only option to avoid death is to have sex with me. I started begging him again not to have sex with me but he eventually had his way.

    “When Chijindu came from where he had gone to withdraw the 19,000 that I had in my First bank account, he ordered me to delete the alert message sent by my bank. He also came back with another man who claimed to be a pastor.

    He brought in a bucket of water and after looking through it, he said my mother has some money in her drawer and I should go home and bring the whole money. He instructed me not to talk to anyone until I accomplished the mission”.

    The Witness said she caught glimpse of a sign post “Toluwalase” memorised  it.

    She also told the court that when she got home, she met her mother and her brother who later told her that she was acting strange and restless.

    “My mother later came to me and held me , seeking to know what happened to me and I told her I don’t want to die . She was shocked and we were both crying.

    My mother told me that God is the owner of my life and I came back to my senses and told her all that happened.

    According to the witness, her mother later put a call through to her pastor and she was later taken to the family hospital due to the sexual assault and was later referred to St Leo hospital in Ikeja.

    She also said the matter was also reported at Area G police station in Ogba from where she was referred to Mirabel Centre at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) for check- up and counseling.

    During cross-examination by the defence counsel, Mr. Ikenna Okoli, the witness maintained that she gave her ATM to the second defendant and money was withdrawn from her First bank account.

    She also insisted that the first defendant had sex with her without her consent.

    The matter was thereafter adjourned till October 10, 2017 for continuation of trial.