RAPISTS ARE MURDERERS..........NAWOJ KADUNA STATE CHAPTER CRIES OUT

NAWOJIANS KADUNA STATE CHAPTER

The issue of RAPE has become a national one with many diverse views and opinions.

Stakeholders from various states have continuously added their voices to the fight against this dastardly act which sadly enough does not attract adequate punishment for offenders.

In most recent times, offenders have been let off the hook with little or no punishment but with the calls for stiffer penalties, advocates believe that stringent punishment would serve as deterrent to others.

READ MORE…..

Over time, the spate of rape has become quite alarming and there has been a rising confusion on the possible reasons.

Rape is a form of sexual assault where a man or a woman gains carnal knowledge of another without his/her consents.

It may come as a shock to some people that a man can actually rape his wife despite the fact that he paid her bride price and is entitled to sexual intercourse with her by virtue of fulfilling necessary rites. So that begs the question - what is consent?

Consent is when one willingly accepts to do something without being coerced into doing it.

On the other hand, men can also fall victim to rape. It is a case of rape when a woman seduces a man into having sex with her and he falls for it.

Sex is supposed to be an intimate activity between two consenting adults, anything short of that is a clear case of rape no matter how it is twisted.

Sorry to break the news, you are guilty of rape when you have sex with your partner after he/she must have resisted your moves and you still succeeded in cajoling them into doing it.

Sadly enough, the female folks have shared a larger chunk of the blame as people continue to accuse them of dressing in provocative ways which usually put men over the board with their emotions and make them act it out on them.

We live in a free society and everyone is entitled to wear whatever they feel comfortable in, but that doesn’t overrule the need for decency.

Anyone who does not have control over his emotions is not qualified to be called a human being. This is because, the ability to know when to act and when not to, distinguishes humans from animals.

It is only in the animal kingdom that they lose grip of their self-control and act instinctively, but they were obviously wired that way.

Rape victims go through serious trauma which most times, leaves them feeling depressed and suicidal. In fact, it isn't atypical for a rape victim to feel he or she is the reason the rapist couldn't control himself. It is one of the stages of trauma.

There have been quite a number of cases where victims bled to death, yet some others left with serious injuries.

Female rape victims sometimes, end up with unwanted pregnancy and some lose their lives in the process of trying to get rid of the foetus.

There is never any justification of rape, and anyone who commits the offence should be made to face the full wrath of the law.

With this in mind, only recently, the Kaduna state Chapter of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ organized a One Day Workshop on this scourge to sensitize the general public on the inherent dangers of inadequate punishment for offenders of this dastardly act which has, of recent, seen little children, especially toddlers and infants being victims.

KADUNA NAWOJ CHAIRMAN

According to JULIET OYOYO (JP), Chairperson of NAWOJ, Kaduna state chapter, there is an urgent need by all stakeholders to join in the call for stiffer penalties by lawmakers; state and national levels to curb the menace of rapists who are daily on the prowl.

Joined by members of FIDA, Kaduna state chapter, market women, students and prominent personalities such as Mrs. Rifikatu Shekari; Executive Director of BBS Foundation Kaduna and Hajia Saratu Iya Aliyu (Peace Ambassador and Chairman of CONSCCIMA), the event has continued to received wide applause as many victims have in the past, been scared of coming out to speak about their experiences.

With the Kaduna state government already in the forefront against the fight, some stakeholders who spoke with NNA expressed their appreciations to the government and NAWOJ (Kaduna state Chapter) for taking the bull by the horns. Already, a Trauma Centre has been opened at the Gwammnawa Specialists Hospital to cater for victims.

Cases of rape had unfortunately, been on the rise in the state especially in the rural areas but findings by NNA since the One Day Sensitization Workshop on Rape, many participants disclosed that they would go back to their respective communities and homes to educate their families on ways to identify suspicious persons, pedophiles, warning signs in their wards and most importantly, make available, reports to law authorities and other bodies for prompt attention.

Speaking with NNA, the Kaduna state chairman for NAWOJ; Juliet Oyoyo disclosed that following an earlier phone-in programme on Rape at the FRCN, callers had requested for more government support especially by legislators so as to eradicate from the society, this scourge in order to save our innocent ones from perpetrators of this evil act.

In a show of support and protest against Rape, NAWOJIANS in Kaduna state embarked on a peaceful rally which began at the NEPA roundabout on Ahmadu Bello and terminated at the secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalist, Kaduna State Council.

Lead by the State chairperson, Juliet Oyoyo disclosed that “the campaign rally became necessary to reduce the cases of rape to its barest minimum in Kaduna, adding that the association (NAWOJ, Kaduna state chapter) she oversees will ensure that it uses every available legal means to bring any apprehended rapist to justice”.

“We want to put an end to rape, particularly in Kaduna State. Women are not supposed to be endangered species owing to their place in the society”.

“We must commend the state Governor, His Excellency, Mallam Nasir Ahmed el-Rufai for supporting this cause to fight against rape in the state. But we need to move from talking to do the working”, she stated.

Representative of FIDA, Barrister Audi Mohammed while lamenting the dimension the menace is taking in the state, disclosed that; “raping of girls under 18 years against their consent is now rampant and deserves total condemnation by all well meaning Nigerians especially, people in the position of authority”.

Barrister Mohammed advised that, “as soon as it happens, the first thing that should come to the mind of the survivor or her relatives is, to report the incident to the Police in any of the nearest Police stations because, the police report and medical report will help the Ministry of Health establish that a rape case had been reported while arrest and prosecution is being done”.

Audi further cautioned parents on the need to support victims/survivors and never say words that would make them feel stigmatized, rejected and dejected.

Barrister Audi Mohammed, who is also the Vice Chairman of FIDA in the state however cautioned that, “one of the reasons rape is on the increase in recent times include the fact that many have been afraid  of reporting the incidents to the authorities, adding that, such cases should be reported to the appropriate authorities immediately to avoid further reoccurrence”.

Earlier at the event, NAWOJ Zonal Vice President (Northwest), Hajia Zainab Rabo Ringim commended the Kaduna state chapter of the association for organizing such a commendable workshop/rally against rape.

Represented by the Zonal Secretary (Northwest), Daharatu Ahmed Aliyu, she appealed to all and sundry to collaborate with the association in the fight against rape in the state.

“I must commend you for this initiative and I must say that the workshop is timely considering the high rate of rape not only in Kaduna but, the nation as a whole”, Ringim stated.

CULLED FROM THE SHEET WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTS FROM ONOTEVURE EMMANUEL IN KADUNA