Senate Moves To Ensure Speedy Trials Of Cases Of Violence Against Women 

Rising  cases of violence against women  and girls caught the attention of the   Senate,   yesterday as the upper chamber mandated its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to ensure an end to the  issue of delay in the prosecution of perpetrators .
The position of the Senate came on the heels of  the approval of the single  prayer to  a   motion  on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women  sponsored by the Chairman ,  Senate Committee on Women Affairs; Senator Betty Apiafi (Rivers  State)
Senator Apiafi  who came under Order 52 of the Senate ( Matter of urgent National Importance)  told the Senate  that Violence Against Women and Girls   ( VAWG) has become one of the most widespread persistent and devastating human rights violation world over.
The  lawmaker , identified  this gender abuse  as intimate partner violence (battering, psychological abuse, marital rape, femicide), sexual violence and harassment (rape, forced sexual acts, unwanted sexual advances,
Others include child sexual abuse, forced marriage, street harassment, stalking, cybersex-harassment)
Human trafficking (slavery, sexual exploitation),  Female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage were also pointed out as forms of VAWG.
She regretted that  even as such criminal act escalates, It remains largely under reported due to impunity, silence stigma and shame surrounding it while those who brave it to  seek justice battle  their cases with snail speed judicial system that keeps traumatising them the more .
Her words “ Gender based violence (GBV) or Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is a global epidemic that affects one per cent in three women worldwide;
“ Women and girls are more likely to face food insecurity;. Only on in ten victims of Gender Based Violence (GBV) will go to the law enforcements agencies for help.
“These figures are mirrored in Nigeria with 30% of women and girls aged between 15 and 49 years reported to have experienced sexual abuse.
“Insurgency and protracted conflicts have exacerbated Gender Based Violence in the North East of Nigeria and several areas in other geo-political zones in the country. Harmful practices such as child marriage which is still prevalent in Nigeria with 43 per cent of girls married before the age of 18 years, while 20 per cent of women aged 15-49 years have undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
As at 24th November, 2021, a total of 5,204 Gender Based Violence cases were reported, of which 3,125 survivors are demanding justice and only 33 perpetrators have so far been convicted with over 972 cases pending in court.

By: Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi, Abuja