“The guy was hitting me, beating me. And the last notion I had after he raped me was to commit suicide,” said Kehinde Osakede. This is the story of a young girl who went to visit a family friend in Lagos, Nigeria during COVID-19, 2020.
Sexual assault in Nigeria is a problem that is growing extensively and affects mainly young girls of different backgrounds. Statistics showed 91 female rape cases in just two months of 2020’s covid-19 lockdown. However, this figure is not precise due to underreporting caused by shame and stigma faced by the victim, and many silenced or threatened cases.
A survey by the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that one in three females would have experienced sexual abuse before the age of 18. Similarly, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that approximately one in four girls experience sexual violence before they reach 18 years of age, highlighting the vulnerability of girls to sexual assaults.
From these alarming statistics, we can see that sexual assault is rampant in our society, and yet only 57% of these cases are recorded. One of the reasons is that many victims feel ashamed and fearful of the consequences of reporting their experiences because of cultural beliefs, public opinions, and fear of being blamed.
Also, Nigeria’s legal system faces challenges in effectively prosecuting sexual assault cases. Challenges like inadequate forensic facilities, delays in investigations, and corruption within the justice system further hinder access to justice for survivors. In addition, some victims cannot file a report against the perpetrator because of low finance and, thus, the case is never brought to light.
The disparity between sexual assault occurrence and sexual assault reports is alarming and we all need to address this as a society. The first step in doing this is to quit the victim-blaming culture. We as a society, need to learn to be more compassionate towards victims of sexual assault. Something as little as lending a listening ear goes a long way.
Secondly, we need to be intentional about educating ourselves and others on what does and does not constitute sexual harassment. A simple share on an educational social media post could help educate people.
This shows that the rate at which sexual assault cases occur is higher than the reports on them. There are many silenced voices and cases out there. Let us reach out to survivors and help these victims voice out.
Together, we can work towards a Nigeria where sexual assault is eradicated, survivors are supported, and justice is served.
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