A latest survey on sexual violence against ladies has indicated a rise in the variety of incidents in Nigerian communities.
The survey performed in three Nigerian States- Enugu, Nasarawa, and Kaduna, confirmed that about 49 % of ladies and girls below 40 years had been sexually abused.
Codenamed Kasa, (voices), the survey created to assist amplify voices residing in violence for motion, additionally confirmed that about 80 % of ladies, 60 and above, had skilled sexual violence in their lifetime.
Christy Asala, the technical skilled who offered the survey findings to journalists throughout a digital press convention, stated the analysis was a chance to ask and hearken to ladies from all walks of life about their experiences with sexual violence.
Asala, who spoke on behalf of the African Women Development Fund, AWDF, stated the information obtained from the survey poses nice concern for stakeholders as many ladies who dwell in violence do not know that they do.
‘‘The data we got from the survey is a source of concern because the numbers are enormous, during the listening sessions, the respondents shared their experiences about sexual abuse.
“Those above 60 years reported a 61% incidence, respondents aged 21-30, 31-40, and 41-50 faced a shared rate of 51%. Respondents aged 51-60 encountered a 49% Prevalence, and individuals aged 10-20 revealed a troubling 39% exposure to sexual violence,” she said.
The research on sexual violence, funded by the African Women Development Fund, found that the key demand by women and girls is the urgent need for preventive and curative measures to protect females from violence.
Women and girls interviewed also demanded capital punishment for perpetrators of sexual violence and the commitment of law enforcement officers to help them get justice.
Meanwhile, Charles Jang, a Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation Officer at Cognito, who participated in the survey noted that young females have challenges reporting issues of sexual violence.
In his words, ‘‘A lot of people are trying to break the culture of silence but when they report, procedures are not followed till the end. It is either the Ministry of Justice is not meeting up or the law enforcement officers default.
‘‘The girls, especially those abused by their relatives are willing to speak but the Nigerian system does not encourage them to.’’
Onyinye Mamah, a coordinator of the survey in Enugu State stated the mechanisms for eliminating gender violence must be improved throughout the nation however principally in Enugu.
Mamah, who heads the Heroin Women Foundation in the State, known as for robust reporting mechanisms as instances have usually fallen by means of the cracks with victims not getting justice.
‘‘When we report to the Ministry of Justice or the Police or other agencies, they don’t take it as significantly as NGOs do. All the NGOs can do is mini-rehabilitation however can’t punish offenders,’’ she stated.
The survey was carried out by the White Ribbon Alliance of Kenya in Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal.
