Stakeholders call for the abolishing of cultures that promote sexual assault

Stakeholders have called for the abolishment of culture and traditions that encourage rape and all forms of Gender Based Violence in the society.

 

The submission was made at the launch of the Hanan Buhari Foundation in Abuja, Nigeria.

 

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha said the launch of the Foundation is timely owing to the rate of rape cases in the society and the doctrine of silence.

 

The SGF said there’s need for a conversation to be initiated around sexual violence to deal with the issues at the family, community, national and global levels.

 

He noted that the issue of rape is a major challenge hence the need to set aside doctrine of traditions and deal decisively with the culprits.

 

He further stated that the punishment must be punitive in such a way that will serve as a deterrent to people that would ever contemplate defiling anyone especially children.

 

“The rape cases are highly unimaginable these days, raping a child of three years, five years?  What level of lust is that? So definitely we need to have a conversation around the table on this issue and as much as possible train our girl child to not be scared or afraid to speak up and also as parents we have a responsibility of coaching and training our children to be very sensitive to certain acts from adults”.

 

“You know it usually starts with cuddling, touching and all those kinds of things and that when that happened around the family, that child should be free to report to any senior member of the family”.

 

“But that has not been the practices in the past and people take advantage of the situation. People wanting to keep it and not talk about it because the family does not have to be put to shame and the community frowns at such reporting”. 

 

The first reaction that child got when they try to say uncle touch me here, is “don’t talk about it”. They rebuke instead of encouragement, just to be able to extract the truth from the Innocent child. I think we need a conversation around this”. Boss Mustapha emphasised.

 

The Speaker House of Representatives in Nigeria, Femi Gbajabiamila said rape and sexual assault in all its forms are vicious violation of human dignity.

 

Represented by the Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Adewumni Adenuga, the Speaker said the pains of victims are further compounded by the fact that the perpetrators are hardly ever held to account.

 

“In Nigeria, many women and girls who have been victims of this brutal crimes, found their pains and sufferings compounded by the fact that perpetrators are hardly ever adequately held to account. When this happens, these women feel as if the State itself has become a party to the worst experience of their lives”. 

 

“This is the complex and challenging arena in which the Hanan Buhari Foundation has elected to operate by pursuing a clear strategy to reduce and eradicate sexual violence against women. All the rest of us can do is to take the necessary step to nurture this dream and support its attainment”. 

 

“Furthermore, it’s my contention that the appearance of rape needs to be recognized, criticized and removed from our culture because its appearance is teaching our children that it’s normal for women to be raped and that they’re powerless to defend this from happening,” Gbajabiamila explained.

 

The Minister of women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, said the launch of the Foundation is in line with the United Nations 16Day activism against rape and gender based violence which aims at getting the world to focus on the dangers of Gender Based Sexual Abuse.

 

According to her, Gender Based Violence is not just about women, but every well-meaning Nigerian should stand up and say No!

 

“In our efforts to address this dreaded monster, we intensify on so much campaign around the 36 States, to ensure the domestication of the Child’s Right Act and the VAP Act. Before I came into office, we had only 12 States that have domesticated the Child’s Right Act, but today I’m proud to say that the number has increased to 32”, She disclosed.

 

In her inaugural message, the Founder of Hanan Buhari Foundation, Hanan Buhari, said despite advocacy, the cases of rape have been under reported by the Media hence, the need for the foundation to galvanise the campaign.

 

“Sadly, but true, Nigeria’s rape culture has been in existence and tolerated for decades. Indeed, it’s often shrouded in secrecy due to ingrained patriarchal sex stereotypes, structural and systemic oppression women face, not to talk of the prevailing social norms and media portrayal that culturally treat women as sex objects and discourages open sexuality discussion and stigmatizes women who dared to speak out”. Hanan said.

 

According to her, the role of Media in the emancipation of rape victims from stigmatisation and stereotypes cannot be overemphasised.

 

“According to a 2018 Statistical report on Women and Men in Nigeria using data obtained from Nigeria Police Force and Ministry of Justice, the rape incidences for women and girls is on an increasing trend from 63% in 2015 to 72.1% in 2016 and 69.3% in 2017. Despite increase in activism, cases of rape are still grossly underreported. According to data from Nigeria’s National Anti-Trafficking Agency, only about 32 cases were reported between 2019 and 2020 for fear of stigmatization,” She noted.

 

Ms. Buhari added that the Foundation will address issues that have made rape violence possible in communities and justice impossible to attain in most situations.

 

“A rape survivor must have immediate access to a health clinic that can provide emergency medical care, including HIV prevention and treatment, as well as counseling. A woman who has been beaten by her husband needs somewhere to go with her children to find safety, sanity, and shelter. 

 

“When a victim of violence files a police report, she must have faith that she will receive justice and that the perpetrator will be punished. 

 

“In addition, an adolescent boy in school learning about health and sexuality must be taught that coercion, violence, and discrimination against girls are all unacceptable”. The founder further stated.

 

The Hanan Buhari Foundation envisions a country without rape, where women, girls and boys are free to participate in self-actualization without fear or prejudice.

 

The foundation’s mission is to promote development of system and partnership for effective protection of citizens from rape violence while ensuring justice for those who have been violated.