Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi says one way to curb violence against women and sexploitation of women is to address the economic imbalance in the country.

Amaechi spoke as the chief host of a one-day conference on, “Violence Against Women and Sextortion” organised by the National Association of Women Judges in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

“I look at this issue of ‘sextortion’ from the economic realities in Nigeria. I doubt if there is any woman born on earth who wants to use her body to the detriment of herself. But when you face economic challenges…,” the situation evolves.

According to him, when people are so denied of what they truly need to live comfortable lives with, they feel seriously compelled to engage in any kind of livelihood without actually considering whether or not such means of survival is morally right or wrong.

He further noted that when some poor parents could not pay school fees for their grown- up daughters, they may be compelled by such economic challenges to give out their daughters for sexual activities for financial gains.

“So, we must agree that the economic challenges we currently face as a nation could be linked to what you judges refer to as sextortion”.

“The only time the judges can begin to redefine sextortion is when those who are in public office begin to give equal opportunities, I did not say money, I say fair opportunities for people to compete favourably. What drives a lot of people into ‘sextortion’ is the economic challenges they face from day to day. They become victims of such economic challenges,” Amaechi said.

The Rivers State governor said whatever social misbehaviour people exhibit in earning a living has a direct link with the country’s economy.

He expressed concern that morals have sharply fallen among Nigerians as a result of social inequalities.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Governor’s Forum (NGF) argued that this harsh situation has made women more vulnerable in their bid to survive, adding that in 2011, the National Bureau of Statistics said 71 per cent of Nigerians are poor.

Governor Amaechi believed that naturally, women are imbued with pride but pointed out that because of the poor economic climate, not a few have jettisoned such virtues just to survive the harsh economic times, while also blaming the eroding family values system for the menace.

He argued that unless the economic imbalance is addressed, whatever law put in place to fight the menace may not be effective.

The governor suggested that other measures should be adopted to check the vice and that such measures should be in tandem with social realities.

Also, Speaker of the House of Representative, Aminu Tambuwal, who declared the conference open, lauded the association for organising the forum.

He stated that such conference will help address the plight of women and charged them to continue in their quest to improve the lot of womenfolk. “Sextortion is a great violence against women and it’s good that you make your position known”, he said.

Tambuwal, however, decried the rising spate of women in drug trafficking, as he urged the group to address the problem.

Speaking earlier, Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Iche Ndu had observed that the conference is timely considering the situation.

He described violence and sextortion as a vice that has affected all the sectors of society.

“All of us are born by women and we will do everything to protect them”, he assured.

Earlier in her remarks, President of the National Association of Women Judges in Nigeria, Justice Binta Nyako had stated that the conference is to address and condemn the vice, stressing that it is a huge challenge, especially to women in the justice system.

She said “sextortion is the currency of corruption and eats the fabric of society and it is in all sectors of the society”.

Justice Nyako averred that the existing laws are not sufficient to tackle the vice hence the need to bring the matter to the front burner of public discourse.