Nigeria: Rape Victims Besiege N'assembly, Seek Passage of Sexual Offences Bill

By Omololu Ogunmade

Abuja — It was a grievous moment for female senators and their counterparts in the House of Representatives on Thursday when traumatised rape victims besieged the National Assembly to narrate their agonising experiences in the hands of rapists.

The victims, most of whom were young girls, cried out for government help and implored the female lawmakers to pass Sexual Offences Bill that is currently before them with a view to sparing them the trauma and agony they were going through.

The victims, led to the National Assembly by Advocacy Coalition for Violence in Nigeria, were assembled before Women Affairs Committee of the National Assembly to participate in the mock tribunal/court on sexual and gender based violence.

In emotion laden voices, they narrated how they were sexually abused by older men and how their hopes of securing justice had been stalled by non-availability of strong and effective laws which could give them a redress.

With their faces covered, the victims pleaded with the lawmakers about the need for urgency to pass the bill to save other innocent ladies of their age category and below from witnessing similar experiences.

Angered by the anguish of the victims, Senators Chris Anyanwu (Imo West) and Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central), condemned the cruel act, describing it as the most wicked crime against womanhood as they vowed to deploy every power within their reach to ensure that relevant bills to protect women and children from violence were passed before the end of the current legislative year.

Founder of Women Aid Collective, Dr. Joy Ezeilo, who was at the meeting, explained that the rationale behind the mock tribunal/court at the National Assembly, was to show to the whole world the rampaging cases of violence against women in Nigeria.

According to her, the event was meant to present the rape victims and survivors with the intention to facilitate enactment of protective laws which are currently in the WORKS in both chambers of the National Assembly.

"Sexual and gender based violence unarguably affects women disproportionately. Women and girls experience sexual violence in their homes, communities, schools, workplaces, streets, MARKETS, police stations and hospitals. The national survey on torture in Nigeria carried out by Women's Aid Collective indicated that rape and sexual abuse are forms of torture mostly experienced by women," she added.

Furthermore, Ezeilo said survey had shown that women were raped and sexually abused at the rate of 64.4 per cent, a situation he said posed grave threats to women development. "In addition to serious psychological effects, sexual violence creates heightened vulnerability to unintended pregnancy and life threatening sexually transmitted diseases," Ezeilo added.

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