Experts proffer lasting solution to rape

EXPERTS in reproductive health and rights have said that changing men’s perceptions and attitudes towards girls from childhood will help to stem the tide of rising rape incidents in the country.

The experts who expressed their concern about the astronomical increase in rape incidents in the country made this assertion in Ibadan during three-day capacity training for journalists on Women’s Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights and global gag rule.

It was organised by IPAS, an international non-profit advocacy group focused on improving and expanding women’s sexual and reproductive rights.

An obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr Steve Lemadoro, said that every parent has the responsibility to raise boys who would grow up to become men who respect and protect women’s sexual rights and dignity.

Lemadoro said that every parent should question how they are raising their boy-child, if they are raising them to be caring, confident and respectful men.

He added, “Sexual violence often results from things that men do, we know that this is largely a male thing.

“I ask parents what kind of boys are you raising? Are you raising a boy that respects the autonomy of the female and knows that the female should give consent to whatever things that should be done to her body.

“Are you raising a child that honours female and regards them as equal sex and that should be given all the opportunity that they should have and be supported all the time?

“When we begin to have a society that have boys growing to become men who have these kind of values we will have less of violence, less of rape, less of these kind of challenges we are facing right now.

“A lot of the problems we are facing right now arise from the fact that boys and men still see women as properties that they can own who have no opinions on how they should be treated.”

Policy and Advocacy Advisor, IPAS, Mrs Doris Ikepze, said that sexual violence and assault is an insidious problem which indicates erosion of social norms and values.

Ikepze who lauded the domestication of Violence against Persons Prohibition Act by some state governments, said that there was need to scale-up community awareness on women’s sexual rights.

According to her rape has a long-term devastating consequence not just on the victim but also the society as a whole.

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