Women Group Embarks On Campaign Against Rape, Soon

The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) in Rivers State, in collaboration with other groups engaged in the fight to protect women and the girl-child rights, will soon embark on enlightenment campaign on the prevention of rape.

 A member of the Rivers State branch of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Mrs Stephanie Harry, made this known Tuesday, while addressing newsmen on issues of rape, especially among the under aged.

Mrs Harry who decried the increasing incidence of rape in the state, described it as “madness” and such that calls for concern.

She said that gang-rape and raping of girls under the age of five were the most frightening, hightened by the inability of victims to report their cases to the Police, which though she attributed to the fear of eventual stigmatisation by the public.

Recalling instances when FIDA followed up some reported cases on behalf of the victims, which complainants abandoned halfway, Harry expressed dissatisfaction over what she described as discouraging attitudes of victims, noting that the more suspects were left unpunished, the more they would continue committing the crime.

She however, advised parents against sending out their daughters on errands at night to avoid falling prey to rapists.

It will be recalled that of late, issues bothering on rape had not ceased to grace the pages of our local papers. The climax of it was aired last year when a university under graduate was raped to stupor by a gang-rapists, in Abia State, a scene that was posted on the internet.

Suffice it to say that ‘rape’ is one of the violence against womanhood which the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria stands to protect, the earlier we stamp our feet against this ugly monster, the better for our society.

Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi