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•15-20 % of rape victims are boys
A damning statistics
have revealed that over 60 percent of rape victims in Nigeria are children
between 0-14 years, while a further 15-20 percent survivors are boys.
This was the disclosed
at the 5th Network Meeting of Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Nigeria
that ended on Friday in Abuja by the Country Director, Pathfinder
International, Dr. Farouk Jega.
The three-day event
organised by the British Council’s Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) and
funded by the European Union brought together relevant stakeholders to discuss
the challenges, successes and learning in the establishment as well as
implementation of SARCs in Nigeria.
Jega who was
represented by the Technical Adviser on Gender, Pathfinder International, Ms.
Favour Adam’s, stated that SARC functions in higher capacity than all other
hospitals in the country, as they treat, counsel and conducts follow up for the
victims.
He also said that he
SARC service is very important because forensic examination provides evidence
in court,it exposes the actions of rape also determining the manner and time of
attack.
On the damning
revelations, he stated “that statistics collated at SARC shows that 60%of rape
survivors are children from 0-14 years.
“Also we gathered that
not only girls are being raped even boys at a percentage of 15-20.”
In the same vein, the
Programme Director, British Council Security Justice and Conflict Programmes,
Dr. Bob Arnot, revealed that over 10,000 Nigerian rape victims have passed
through the SARCs for counselling and possible treatments in six years.
According to Arnot,
SARC has a strong data inbuilt of people who have sought help on sexual assault
but it could only be useful if it is being put into use.
“More than 10, 000
clients have gone through SARCs… which is a six years data of people who passed
through SARCs in 15 states of the country,” he said.
The Sexual Assault
Referral Centre serves as a response gaps for victims of sexual assault with a
total of 15 centers in Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Borno, Enugu, Jigawa, Kaduna,
Kano, Lagos, Niger and Yobe states.
He added that in
approaching holistically the problem of sexual violence In Nigeria, the various
Civil Society Organisations and other stakeholders must set aside institutional
jealousy to allow the flow of collaboration.
Earlier, the European
Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Ketil Karlsen, noted that Sexual and
Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is a global pandemic that requires fundamental and
coordinating actions to guarantee the safety and security of vulnerable women
across the world.
Karlsen reiterated
that SARC initiative is very important and it will only to be effective if
Impunity does not override the essence.
He said “the role of
SARC is very vital as they have preventive effect and this can only function if
Impunity does not prevail.
He stated that “the 16
days activism against gender based violence is an opportunity to put it at top
political agenda as well as a need to have female leaders pursuing the right of
women,as women rights are also human rights.”
The Programme Manager
RoLAC Ms Priscilla Ankut explained that SARCs was created in order to address
the cases of sexual assault, battery and all cultural harmful practices.
Ankut stated that ”
there is a need to address the issues of violence against women and SARC with
legal back from the Violation Against Persons (VAP) prohibition act prosecution
has been attained to some level.
“But in order to
reduce the level of Impunity of perpetrators prosecution has to be really
addressed to be able to reduce the level of Impunity,as this is a major setback
which led to the launch of the Sex Offenders Register.
According to her ” the
Sex Offenders Register is a digital tool to register all sexual offence,
service providers check,and serves as a background check for employers.
She stressed the need
for sensitization of survivors of sexual assault to encourage them tell their
stories also the need for victims to be aware of available services.
She said “to ensure
that survivors get the support that they need, beyond that SARC ensure to
strengthen accountability for sexual offenders which is very crucial.
“Create an increase in
awareness on see violation and available reporting channels which has resulted
to huge development from what it used to being past times.”
Meanwhile, the Judge
of the Kaduna State High Court and Chairman of Implementation Committee on
Establishment of SARC, Justice Darius Hyet Kkobo , said Offenders have been
prosecuted due to the forensic evidence provided.
Kkobo added that
cultural hindrances are giving way for justice to prevail, urging the offenders
that are yet to be apprehended to desist from these heinous act to avoid the
wrath of the law.
The SARC annual
conference was being held to create a platform of exchanging ideas among
various SARC in different centres and states to ensure a uniform approach to
sexual assault.
According to the
Secretary Network of SARCs, RoLAC Programme, Ms. Oluwatoyosi Giwa, the
Conference holds with a view to providing standardized training of personnel
across board,promote strategy and garner support from government agencies and
other relevant stakeholders.
Giwa said the conference that held from December 4-6, 2019, with a view to brainstorming on best practices and technical support among members of the network.
Source: PRNigeriaNews Peluxiv
