The headline from a national daily, Punch Newspapers, underscores the importance of dismantling myths about sexual violence against women and children.
Not infrequently, we do not look in the right places in the fight against sexual violence in our communities. Women and children continue to suffer in silence, often out of shame and intimidation in homes and amongst family members in the hands of close relations including husbands, fathers, uncles etc. When the violation eventually blows open, it is usually too late as the victim often turns up dead in the morgue or severely injured in the hospital. I have seen some cases and it is truly pathetic. Accepting that perpetrators of sexual violence could be close family members, relations, friends and others in a trusting relationship, could go a long way in curtailing this malady.
Meanwhile, it is important that Women and Child Protection agencies are recognized as important means of addressing the scourge of violence against women and children. States should set up functional protection agencies in the relevant ministries to carry out necessary duties to ensure that children suspected of being abused at home (such suspicion may first be made in a hospital or other public facilities) are followed up with appropriate investigation and treatment, and are subsequently protected in safe shelters where applicable. Schools and places of worship are also potential places for abuse of children and women, and could also serve as a veritable vehicle for the prevention of abuse if appropriately channelled.
Unfortunately, many States in Nigeria in particular, and Africa in general, do not have Women and Child Protection agencies established by the State with requisite powers, responsibilities and resources. I've held advocacy meetings with some government officials on the need for this very important agency of the State. On 23 October 2014 at a symposium organized by the Child Protection Network, an NGO in Ibadan on the Implementation of Child Rights and at a similar event on 3 December 2014 organized by Star Children Initiative, another NGO also in Ibadan, on Promoting Accessibility and Harnessing Resources for Children with Disability in Nigeria, we reiterated the urgent need for a Women and Child Protection agency that will provide specialist assessment and offer necessary services to children, women and their families where there is suspicion of, or ongoing abuse, maltreatment or neglect. This will also facilitate the institutionalization and standardization of the quality of care provided to survivors of sexual violence and other forms of violence. There should also be some piece of legislation that will make it mandatory for teachers, health professionals (especially family physicians and paediatricians), leaders of faith-based organizations/worship places, etc, to report suspected cases of sexual and other forms of violence to relevant State agencies for prompt action. Failure to do so by these professionals and organizations should be a severe liability as a criminal breach of trust or connivance. Preemptive surveillance and promoting safe environments will facilitate the primary prevention of sexual violence against children and women, and would be a better option than the best forensic and medical management of survivors.
It still holds true that prevention is better than cure. Nonetheless, appropriate forensic medical management and other specialist therapeutic services are inevitable in the fight against sexual violence and other forms of violence especially targeted against children and women in our communities. The time for action was yesterday; we earnestly need to catch up!
