Children
child right
SARC: 60%
Children
child right
SARC: 60% of rape survivors in Nigeria are children
0-14yrs
•15-20 % of rape victims are boys
•As over 10,000 victims counseled in six years
A damning statistics have revealed that over 60 percent of rape
victims in Nigeria are children between 0-14 years, while a further
15-20 percent survivors are boys.
This was the disclosed at the 5th Network Meeting of Sexual
Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Nigeria that ended on Friday in
Abuja by the Country Director, Pathfinder International, Dr. Farouk
Jega.
The three-day event organised by the British Council’s Rule of
Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) and funded by the European Union
brought together relevant stakeholders to discuss the challenges,
successes and learning in the establishment as well as
implementation of SARCs in Nigeria.
Jega who was represented by the Technical Adviser on Gender,
Pathfinder International, Ms. Favour Adam’s, stated that SARC
functions in higher capacity than all other hospitals in the
country, as they treat, counsel and conducts follow up for the
victims.
He also said that he SARC service is very important because
forensic examination provides evidence in court,it exposes the
actions of rape also determining the manner and time of attack.
On the damning revelations, he stated “that statistics collated
at SARC shows that 60%of rape survivors are children from 0-14
years.
“Also we gathered that not only girls are being raped even boys
at a percentage of 15-20.”
In the same vein, the Programme Director, British Council
Security Justice and Conflict Programmes, Dr. Bob Arnot, revealed
that over 10,000 Nigerian rape victims have passed through the
SARCs for counselling and possible treatments in six years.
According to Arnot, SARC has a strong data inbuilt of people who
have sought help on sexual assault but it could only be useful if
it is being put into use.
“More than 10, 000 clients have gone through SARCs… which is a
six years data of people who passed through SARCs in 15 states of
the country,” he said.
The Sexual Assault Referral Centre serves as a response gaps for
victims of sexual assault with a total of 15 centers in Adamawa,
Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Borno, Enugu, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos,
Niger and Yobe states.
He added that in approaching holistically the problem of sexual
violence In Nigeria, the various Civil Society Organisations and
other stakeholders must set aside institutional jealousy to allow
the flow of collaboration.
Earlier, the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador
Ketil Karlsen, noted that Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is
a global pandemic that requires fundamental and coordinating
actions to guarantee the safety and security of vulnerable women
across the world.
Karlsen reiterated that SARC initiative is very important and it
will only to be effective if Impunity does not override the
essence.
He said “the role of SARC is very vital as they have preventive
effect and this can only function if Impunity does not prevail.
He stated that “the 16 days activism against gender based
violence is an opportunity to put it at top political agenda as
well as a need to have female leaders pursuing the right of
women,as women rights are also human rights.”
The Programme Manager RoLAC Ms Priscilla Ankut explained that
SARCs was created in order to address the cases of sexual assault,
battery and all cultural harmful practices.
Ankut stated that ” there is a need to address the issues of
violence against women and SARC with legal back from the Violation
Against Persons (VAP) prohibition act prosecution has been attained
to some level.
“But in order to reduce the level of Impunity of perpetrators
prosecution has to be really addressed to be able to reduce the
level of Impunity,as this is a major setback which led to the
launch of the Sex Offenders Register.
According to her ” the Sex Offenders Register is a digital tool
to register all sexual offence, service providers check,and serves
as a background check for employers.
She stressed the need for sensitization of survivors of sexual
assault to encourage them tell their stories also the need for
victims to be aware of available services.
She said “to ensure that survivors get the support that they
need, beyond that SARC ensure to strengthen accountability for
sexual offenders which is very crucial.
“Create an increase in awareness on see violation and available
reporting channels which has resulted to huge development from what
it used to being past times.”
Meanwhile, the Judge of the Kaduna State High Court and Chairman
of Implementation Committee on Establishment of SARC, Justice
Darius Hyet Kkobo , said Offenders have been prosecuted due to the
forensic evidence provided.
Kkobo added that cultural hindrances are giving way for justice
to prevail, urging the offenders that are yet to be apprehended to
desist from these heinous act to avoid the wrath of the law.
The SARC annual conference was being held to create a platform
of exchanging ideas among various SARC in different centres and
states to ensure a uniform approach to sexual assault.
According to the Secretary Network of SARCs, RoLAC Programme,
Ms. Oluwatoyosi Giwa, the Conference holds with a view to providing
standardized training of personnel across board,promote strategy
and garner support from government agencies and other relevant
stakeholders.
Giwa said the conference that held from December 4-6, 2019, with
a view to brainstorming on best practices and technical support
among members of the network.