EPIDEMIC IN PANDEMIC: ISSUES AND ACTIONS - Babatunde Abdulhakim A.

             EPIDEMIC IN PANDEMIC: ISSUES AND ACTIONS.

                     BY;

      Babatunde Abdulhakim A

             09036619960

All through the passage of time and era, women have been perceived as the weaker vessel and have been oppressed by culture in most Africa societies.

The issue of rape is not an abstract issue in the society as it has unveiled its ugly mask and become an epidemic in the society which spreads like wild fire.

Questions are easily asked and not easily answered in rape cases because answers are more difficult and inconvenient to answer.

Rape is the act of having sex forcefully with someone against their will. Others capture d rape as a sexual penetration by one person against another person without the consent of the victim.

  However, victims of this epidemic have no age limit as babies, and the aged were vulnerable to this menace. Rape is a denial of women since 90% of victims of rape are females. UNICEF reported in 2015 that "One in four girls and one in ten boys had experienced sexual assault before the age of 18.

From the statement above, it's a crystal clear that rape scourge is on increase all across the world.

The issue of rape and suggest actions that could be taken to curb this menace. It seeks the following to understand the following;

- What situation leads to the rape of victim?

- What are the effects of these incidences?

- How can these incidences be prevented or curbed?

THE ACT OF RAPE.

The Nigeria Criminal Code Act refers to rape as follows;

"Any person who has unlawful carnal knowledge of a woman, girl without her consent or with her, if the consent is obtained by force or by means of threat or intimidation of any kind is guilty of the case Rape"

However, Rape is seen as an act of power or dominance of one person over another. 

Brigneti and Egbonimal(2002) captured Rape "as an act of sexual intercourse that involves without consent or against someone being unwilling to engage in the act.

Rape issue cannot be trivialized, it cuts across race, tribe and class. It's a universal issues and phenomenon.

Rape cases are not limited to Nigeria alone. Other countries fall into this trap such includes A Ugandan court sentenced a teenage girl to a six hours jail term for killing her rapist father. The 58 years man had been raping the daughter right from she was 13 years old. Also a woman is raped in India every 20 minutes and lots cases.

To combat the growing number of rapes, more and more people are beginning to think in terms of prevention and ways of dealing with anyone that trespass the issue of raping in the country.

In the same vein, Osun State Legislative has its full assent in killing anyone guilty of the offence.

Many who are raped, suffer humiliation and are sometimes pushed into committing suicide and into stigmatization due to the slow response of the judiciary system and lack of support.

CAUSES OF RAPE SCOURGE IN NIGERIA.

The state of Nigeria poorly defined criminal laws and weak law enforcement creates an environment where rape is committed with freedom(Amnesty International 2006). As a result of the inadequacy, Women advocates try preventing future rape by educating the public, and see the rapist are brought to book.

According to Child Right Law in Nigeria(31(2) enacted by the Federal Government in May 2003, Anyone convicted for rape is liable to life imprisonment. But nobody seems to be enforcing the law. Thus, women and girls continued to be raped and molested(Odeh, 2003)

Other causes of rape include Alcohol and drugs abuse, idleness, pornography, Bad company. Rape cases in Nigeria advance the following causes for the unfortunate reality;

• Exposure to Modernity

Teenage, Adolescent in Nigeria are being bombarded by modernizing influences. They read sex in novels, magazines, And newspapers and being exposed to sexually overloaded advertisement in Newspapers and the television.

Some parents allowed their wards to spend much time watching television programmes where sex is used by manufacturers to advertise their products. It placed the younger generation under pressure to go into sex by all means. It's believed that some of them decide to experience it once, just to know how it is. But they become captured by the power of immortality. This situation makes raping inevitable among the Nigerian youth.

• Peer Group Pressure.

Literature posits that most adolescent are led into sexual promiscuity by peer influence. Peer group is an important factor in the upsurge of rape cases in Nigeria. Innocent youth who keeps company of rapist easily learn their evil ways, no  matter how careful they are.

It's often said that most children who are more influenced by their parents are more likely to adopts socially acceptable sexual behavior than those who are more influenced by their peers.

• Indecent Dressing.

Indecent dressing among woman and girls are inappropriate mode of dressing. This mode of dressing often attracts the opposite sex and causes them to have lustful thought and may eventually lead into raping women. (Diana 2011). Indecent dressing engineers sexual desires in men. It becoming fashionable particularly among the youthful female to dress so half nakedly that the parts of the the body to be "Hidden"  are now "Exposed".

A survey by Ayogu(2011) sheds more light and said "Some parents buy clothes for their children to wear with negative words or inscription like "I am a sexy girl, Hug me tight, Touch me here etc". This serves as a strong pull to rapist to carry on their vices

• Parental Upbringing.

Most parent who went through thick and thin before becoming someone recognized over-pamper their children by not enforcing strict disciplines on them all in the name of modernity. They themselves engage in extra-marital affairs and likely to foster children that are rude, Arrogant and wayward. Thus they probably become rapist.

• Poverty and Economic Factor.

Poverty is a major problem affecting many families in Nigeria. Poverty and Economic down turn have forced many families into allowing their female children and teens to hawk things for sale, Even at unholy places and thereby exposing them to be raped.

EFFECTS OF RAPE ON THE VICTIM.

Rape devastate the lives of the victim and the families, causing physical and psychological pains and suffering  including death, pregnancies, sexuality transmitted diseases and host of others.

Rape leaves painful memories and life long consequences on the victim. It equally degrades as well as violates a whole societies.

Brigneti and Egbonimali(2002) postulates that "If virginity is what makes women Honourable, rape is an easy weapon to permanently damaged them"

PREVENTION OF RAPE INCIDENCE 

English proverb says "Charity begins at home" this shows that parents have more duties to perform to curb raping issue. Therefore parent should build a strong,  healthy, and open relationship with their children and be watchful. They should also know the right time and place to discuss sex related issues with their children and know the company they keep and educate their female children on places to go and danger of rape.

Sex Education should be included in school syllabus and should be taught as school is the next place for a child in the society.

Hawking by children should be banned as it will help place female children under safety.

All rape victims should be be shown love and care to rebuild their self esteem.

There's need to engage experienced counselor who will managed rape survivors at the state and local government levels

Lastly, Nigeria law on rape should be strengthened so that grave punishment would be emphasized on anyone found guilty of raping.

However Raping is an epidemic going round the societies. It is however sadden that rape is pervasive in Nigeria and is likely going to worsen if no steps are taken immediately to end this epidemic.

The fight against rape is a task embodied on every individual, NGOs, Civil societies, Government bodies and there's need for rapid response to the documented cases.