The Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) has emphasized the urgent need for the establishment of Sexual Offences Courts nationwide, citing the persistent cases of sexual abuse. Ms. Grace Ike, Vice Chairman of the Correspondents Chapel of NUJ in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), underscored this imperative, urging the federal government to set up such courts in every state to effectively address the menace.
Speaking at the presentation of “Tears from the Grave,” a book by Lemmy Ugbegbe of the Men Against Rape Foundation, Ms. Ike highlighted the alarming statistics on sexual abuse, particularly among adolescents. She noted that recent surveys in Nigeria revealed distressing figures, with a significant percentage of sexually active adolescent females and males experiencing forced sex (rape) at sexual initiation.
Ms. Ike expressed concern over the disproportionate impact of sexual violence on female adolescents living with HIV and condemned the normalization of such acts. She emphasized the devastating physical and psychological toll on victims and decried the rising trend of perpetrators resorting to murder after committing sexual violence.
Read Also: RAPE: A Sad Reminder of Our Vulnerability
Ms. Ike stressed that Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) transcends boundaries of age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geography. Despite the extensive list of victims in Nigeria, many cases remain unreported due to fear of stigma and lack of support systems. The NUJ called for concerted efforts to combat sexual abuse and ensure justice for victims.
