A’Ibom Assembly Passes Free Treatment Of Sexual Abuse Victims Bill

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has passed a Bill on Free and Compulsory Medical Treatment and Care for Child Victims of Sexual Violence into Law.
Presenting the report, the Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs, Hon. Princess Felicia Bassey, harped on the need to protect children who are victims of sexual abuse and provide “free, complete, and compulsory medical treatment and care”. 
Princess Bassey, who is also the Deputy Speaker of the House, lamented that sexual abuse against children has become a common phenomenaon noting that while perpetrators sometimes go unpunished, victims are denied access to free health care services and in some cases no official report is made of the incident.
The committee, therefore, recommended among other things that child victims of sexual violence should be given free and compulsory medical treatment and a sexual assault referral centre should be set up.
Other recommendations are that any hospital that fails to report cases of sexual violence or abuse is liable to a fine of one million naira. 
Also, parents or guardians who fail to report or prevent a hospital from making a report of casea of sexual violence is liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 3 months with no option of fine.
The committee further recommended that any person, authority, including Police Officer or Security Agent that stands by and fails to perform his duty under the law has committed an offence and is liable upon conviction to a fine of five hundred thousand naira or imprisonment for two years or both.
The House, after a clause by clause affirmation, adopted the recommendations of the committee and passed the bill into law after its third reading.

By: Sogbeba Dokubo