NOA urges stiffer penalties for sexual violators
The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has advocated stiffer penalties for rapists and other sexual violators as a way of checking the menace of sexual violence in the society.
The Director-General, Garba Abari made this call when the Chairman, Anti-Rape and Sexual Abuse Campaign Committee, Mr. Abayomi Runsewe led the Committee on a courtesy visit to the Agency’s Headquarters in Abuja.
Abari said it was difficult for normal logic to explain the rational behind a normal human being stooping low to rape an infant or the aged in the society. He decried the erosion of our core values as a society over the years, leading to the sexual pervasions and violence ravaging our society. He described the increase in rape and sexual abuse in Nigeria as alarming, adding that we must all join hands to fight the scourge.
In his words, “We need to revisit our laws and impose stiffer sanctions on persons found guilty of rape and sexual abuse as a deterrent to sexual predators in our society”.
The NOA Boss assured the Committee of the Agency’s commitment to a mutual partnership toward achieving the laudable initiatives of the Committee and.
Earlier, the Committee Chairman, Abayomi Runsewe, who is also the President, Federation of West African Freelance Journalist Association (FWAFJA) said the Anti-Rape and Sexual Abuse Campaign is an initiative whose goal is to fight the ugly trend which he described as “un-African” and has been on the increase over the past five years.
Runsewesaid the initiative has hundreds of counselors in training, mostly ladies, with whom victims can easily relate for assistance. The Committee, he said, is also working to establish a rape trauma centre with helplines to enable victims speak out adding that counselors will be at various points across the country to decorate citizens with the “Speak-Out” badge and also bring up debates in schools so pupils will be aware of the danger of sexual abuse and seek help where needed.
