Sex Offender Registry is Long Overdue

The damage being done to humanity by unbridled sexual violence in Nigeria, in particular, and Africa in general is evident. Unfortunately, after the occasional outrage over incessant cases of sexual violence (mainly against children and women) and the short public memory that goes with each case before more “important issues” engage the attention of officials and the general public, there appears to be no lessons learnt; no new or change of approach; and no intervention implemented. We basically wait for another sensational media report about crass sexual abuse that goes on in our society. There is little or no disincentive to the perpetration of this heinous act and offenders know that much.  We should begin to implement measures to deter perpetrators and also to enable the public to track their whereabouts and keep them off from the most vulnerable, especially our children.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) publishes on their website information from all 50 states of the USA, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and numerous Indian tribes for the identity and location of known sex offenders. There is no such data in Nigeria and in many African countries.  Sex offenders and paedophiles easily move from one city or from one state to another after wrecking havoc on innocent lives and they quickly settle in their new location to continue their pattern of criminal acts.

A recent report about a 12 year old girl allegedly raped by her class teacher in Plateau State of Nigeria shows the frightening scenario in which these cases could occur. There is urgent need for the police to establish a central registry with relevant details, including mugshots, about known or convicted sex offenders and such information should be available online to the general public. Schools and organizations could search such database as part of screening of prospective employees where applicable. Freedom of Information Act has mandated free access to information to the public. If there is any information that could assist in preventing sexual assault by tracking the history and movement of sex offenders and closely monitored by law enforcement agencies and the general public, a Sex Offender Registry is urgently called for and should be on website accessible to the public. We could all begin to sensitize the police and the general public on the need for this registry. Our little voices will eventually coalesce into a loud noise which will not be easily ignored. 

The foundation for a society where the sanctity of individual space, dignity and liberty is respected and enforced is laid by our collective effort at taking back our community from relatively few individuals who desecrate our humanity.

Is Technical Education finally dying?

I just can’t hide my disdain for strike actions in Nigeria, in particular. Behind the façade presented by the numerous unions as demands “for public good” is an underlying greed for more money and “welfare of their members”. Everyone goes on strike for all imaginable reasons just for an opportunity to sit down with high ranking government officials and negotiate their way to some phantom better life. How could there be a true better life in a vacuum? How could there be a better life when the generality of the populace is hurting and under the crushing weight of poverty and disillusionment? How could any union want to create a world where their members live an “ideal” work condition oblivious of the general state of affairs in the society? Every union in the public sector is either threatening strike or on strike or just completed a strike action. No one seems to consider what immediate and long term impacts this penchant for going on strike is causing to the nation. Yesterday it was ASUU; today it is ASUP and all the various acronyms that people have come to reckon with the suspension of the future of the youth and of the nation in the name of seeking for better condition and better funding which usually ends up as some increase in salaries or allowances of members of concerned union. And in a vicious cycle of greed, other unions embark on their own strike action after government has acceded to the “demands” of one. Every union wants to get a piece of the action in the inordinate overdrive for "more" at the detriment of a dispassionate analysis of the big picture in the interest of public good. Trade unions, originally designed to promote the essence of collective bargaining between employees and employers, have turned into some uncontrollable behemoth in the public sector. Shamelessly, their first demand is usually for full payment of salaries for period they have not worked; period they usually deploy for private practice and other businesses. There is no remedy for hapless students and their despondent parents or carers. The nation bleeds.

Meanwhile, I had expressed some views on strike actions in earlier blogs at http://uwomeze.blogspot.com/2013/08/strikes-in-health-and-other-sectors.html, and http://uwomeze.blogspot.com/2013/07/asuu-strike-endless-war-with-no-exit.html and these positions have not changed. This is an urgent call for some sense of community spirit in addressing myriads of issues affecting various public sectors. We cannot continue to deny our children the right to education, in the name of incessant strike actions, and expect any bright tomorrow. We need to see the connection between the youth idling away with no future prospect due to unending strike actions at the higher institutions and societal vices like robbery, kidnapping, insurgency and other forms of fatal extremism.

The polytechnics and colleges of education used to be the hub of technical manpower development for actual production and advancement in the real sector but today, what is left is a shadow of institutions only recognizable by dilapidated signposts. Their lecturers have been on strike for a period of almost an entire academic session and no one appears to bother anymore. The future of technical education in the country is uncertain and students have turned to the universities (which have not fared any better) for some elusive education in a society that is largely lacking community ethos and where “fight to finished” has permeated our psyche resulting into a generation of young people who lack essential skills in negotiating usual turns and twists of life. As a community we can only live to regret this collective negligence at protecting the right of the young ones to receive necessary education in achieving their potential to advancing the society. We may conveniently put the blame on “government” but there is no government but people, and in one way or the other we constitute this “government”. Individually and collectively, we could cut down on our appetite and ego and stem the tide of this dying situation, not only in technical education but also in other aspects of our community living so as to nurture a healthy society.

Some Silver lining in Curbing Sexual Assault in Africa

When the news first broke out on a newspaper stable a few days ago on “Woman accuses Lagos DPO of rape” it looked like it was going to be the usual case of quick dismissal by police authorities as “unfounded” (actually the police officer at the centre of this saga “denied the allegation, saying it was all falsehood”). The stage was set to see how the police would handle the situation in a society where there is little or no faith in the police and in their willingness and capacity to undertake transparent investigation. This case is even more complicated because the police themselves are accused and it takes a lot of integrity currency to investigate oneself in all sincerity and honesty. One is happy to report a news follow up that “Police detain Lagos DPO for rape”. Steps of hope if followed through.

There is one huge Pandora's Box that only a few people are willing to open in our usual discussions about various forms of abuse that go on in the hands of agents of the state. It is about what happens to detainees in various police stations, "special squad" units, and numerous other detention centres that are operated by various security forces, legally or illegally. People are often held in detention for periods well beyond salutatory sentences applicable to their alleged offence if they were to be convicted of such offences, and those lucky enough to come out alive have narrated their horrible experience in such largely unregulated detention centres. Sexual abuse of women (and occasional of men) in the hands of their captors is alleged to be so rife but due to the shame and stigmatization association with mere report of sexual abuse, most of the survivors nurse their deep seated wounds in silence.  I had discussed a similar issue in a past post referenced @ http://uwomeze.blogspot.com/2013/05/uncivilised-treatment-of-female.html

Now we have to move forward from just discussing these issues to proffering practical solutions. Most of the people (NGOs, police, lawyers, medical officers etc) working in addressing the problems of sexual violence in Africa, especially in Nigeria, have received little or no training on the management of sexual violence and on important areas to focus on when there is a complaint or allegation of sexual assault.  An excerpt from a medical report, “…no laceration, no bruises, no areas of hyperemia, negative for HIV 1 and 2, pregnancy negative. Has been placed on PEP and emergency contraception”, credited to the medical officer mentioned in the news may be a portrayal of the prevailing mindset on the expectations of the society or the authorities when a woman reports a sexual assault. There is a huge need for training of members of relevant NGOs, police, social workers, lawyers, judicial officials, medical officers and others involved in management of sexual violence. To this end, we will be conducting practical training sessions on Forensic Management of Sexual Violence in Nigeria and in other African countries as collaboration and support grow in the effort to curb this silent epidemic tearing at the soul of our collective health (in all ramifications) and dignity. Some of the existing laws will require a second look taking into cognizance contemporary knowledge and understanding about sexual violence. There is also urgent need to introduce modern approach to fighting this scourge in Africa. It is far beyond the presence or absence of injuries on the body of survivors. The core issue(s) must be addressed.

 In the meantime, there is a change we can immediately effect without necessarily any change in legislation. We must accept that “No” means “No” and this must be respected at all times! And we should salute the courage of survivors who brave the cowardly blackmail and intimidation to report this abuse. Gradually, we will get to the stage where the shame and stigmatization associated with sexual violence will be directed at the appropriate subjects-the perpetrators.