The rate of violence against women and girls in Nigeria, especially sexual violence has become a major concern to the global community, including the European Union and the United Nations, as it has assumed a worrisome dimension.
No day passes in the country without the news of violence against women and girls, especially rape and even minors are not spared.
Besides being sexually abused, many of the women and girls are already faced with traumatising gender-based violence and harmful cultural practices that jeopardise their health and wellbeing.
Though violence against women and girls in Nigeria is against the law, report shows that the social malaise and other forms of harmful practices against them are on the rise and of an epidemic proportion.
According to the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (2018 NDHS) report, 31 percent of women in Nigeria have experienced physical violence from age 15 at least. The report also shows that one-third of married women have experienced spousal violence, whether physical, sexual, or emotional by their current or most recent husband or partner.
Despite the increase, experts say the problem could be eliminated through a multi-pronged approach beginning with survivors speaking out and seeking justice.
At a two-day media dialogue on Spotlight Initiative held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital recently, the experts urged survivors of sexual violence to summon courage and speak out in order to shame the perpetrators and bring them to book.
Giving an overview of the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative at the dialogue sponsored by the European Union, a Child Protection Specialist with the United Nations Children’s Fund, Olasunbo Odebode, said eliminating violence against women and girls in Nigeria required the involvement of all stakeholders.
Odebode asked survivors of sexual violence not to be quiet anymore, but speak up to enable relevant stakeholders such as the police, legislature, judiciary; media, civil society organisations, among others take appropriate actions against the perpetrators.
“It is good for survivors of sexual violence to speak out because it will help shame perpetrators and bring them to justice”, she said.
Citing the power of speaking out in the rape case of Busola, the wife of popular artiste, Timi Dakolo, Odebode said abusers often operate with a sense of impunity, but if survivors should speak out like she did, the perpetrators would have no hiding place.
“Often women and girls don’t speak up, so taking further action is difficult. They should learn to come forward. But if they don’t talk about it and keep it to themselves, they are emboldening the perpetrators. So, survivors of rape should not be silent anymore. They should be encouraged by Busola’s boldness and the reactions that greeted her story”, she said.
Busola recently spoke about how she survived an alleged rape ordeal by the founder of The Commonwealth of Zion Assembly, Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo before she turned 18.
Her story brought backlashes on Pastor Fatoyinbo, which forced him to step aside from his church and the case now in court.
Busola’s story went viral on social media and led to thousands of people sharing their stories of sexual abuse and harassment.
Also recently, a veteran Nigerian actress, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett revealed how she became a mother at the age of 15 and was raped at the age of 65.
The 79-year-old shared her story with the media, saying she had decided to talk about it and not allow the past to hold her back.
Urging rape survivors to be motivated to speak out rather than suffer in silence, Odebode said: “Busola spoke up and something came out of it. So, survivors should speak out and something will come out of it. It doesn’t matter the time the crime was committed. They should come out and tell the world their story and something will certainly be done about it.”
She expressed worry that though violence against women and girls in Nigeria is against the law, many survivors do not usually receive full legal support, as they may prefer to stay in abusive relationships than live to face the ridicule of living outside relationships and/ or wedlock.
The UNICEF Child Protection Specialist however, stated that the future wellbeing of women and young girls in Nigeria, particularly the most vulnerable must be supported by all stakeholders, to enable them live a life free from violence and harmful practices by addressing the linkages between sexual and gender based violence and harmful practices.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Point in Lagos on the issue, Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Sustainable Development Goals, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said when survivors of sexual abuse and domestic violence speak out, it brings relief and healing to them than keeping silent and allowing the perpetrators escape justice.
Orelope-Adefulire told our correspondent that there was healing power and relief in rape survivors speaking out, “because it is what will bring perpetrators to justice.”
She said, “So, I am calling on survivors to come forward and speak out. If they fail to speak out and be silent about it, there is no way we can fish out and punish the perpetrators. A victim of rape even at the age of five, will continue to remember the incident through out life. If they don’t speak out, how will they get counselling and support to overcome the sad experience?
“Again, if rape survivors remain silent, there will always be anger in their hearts because the perpetrators are walking on the streets freely.
So, if they can come out to speak and perpetrators are brought to book, more people will be encouraged to come out and we will make them ambassadors.”
She also urged survivors to speak out on time to avoid jeopardising evidence that would be used against perpetrators in court.
She reveals that the federal government is working with the Nigerian Bar Association to provide free legal services to rape survivors who do not have money to seek justice.
On his part, a legal practitioner and Principal Counsel, Basic Right Initiative,James Ibor, blamed the rise in violence against women and girls in the country on lack of political will on the part of government as well as poor implementation of laws against perpetrators.
Ibor, who is also Chairperson, Child Protection, Cross River State, said: “We have very positive legislations that support the protection of women and children. But implementation remains a challenge. For instance, we have the Violence against Person Prohibition Act in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, the implementation is less than five per cent”he said.
The EU-UN Spotlight Initiative is a global partnership between the United Nations and the European Union to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls and all harmful practices in support of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development.
The focus of the Spotlight Initiative include legislation policy framework, building institutions , prevention efforts, particularly addressing root causes of gender based violence and harmful practices; and ensuring access to inclusive , timely, and affordable, quality service as well as data management across five focus states (Lagos, Adamawa, Sokoto, Cross-River and Ebonyi) plus the FCT.
