Child Defilement: The Need For Effective Sanctions

Hashim Yussuf Amao, Ibadan.

"The true character of a society is revealed in how it treats its children." ~ Nelson Mandela

The unending news of child rape and defilement is one that continues to send sadness down the spine. The need to wake up to this gory act before it festers beyond total control propelled this piece.

In a report by UNICEF, "six out of ten Nigerian children experience emotional, physical or sexual abuse before the age of 18". In 2020, the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development also recorded 2,154 child abuse cases, with sexual defilement topping the list with 1,005 cases. These are heart-wrenching reports that should provoke the concern of a society that truly cares about her children.

For child defilement to be curtailed, the shallow mentality of dropping all blame at the government's doorstep needs to be called to a halt, as not just the government, but everyone has got a vital role to play in stemming this menace.

Parents, who are the first agents of socialization, need to hearken to their responsibility and devise strategies to call their children's attention to timely sensitization. Parents need to tell their children about predators who are constantly on the prowl to prey on innocent kids. Some of their devilish antics, like wrong touch, calls to sit on laps, and bullying, could be explained. Questions about these, as well as regular check-ups that could easily reveal the predators' secrets, should be in the top gear.

The existence of sex education in our schools should not be a subject of debate. Children should be aware of predatory tactics and should avoid them, as well as speak up even when threatened. Research has it that the ignorance and gullibility of untold children is what predators ride on to take advantage of uninformed children.

Society has got a role to play too. More NGOs need to be at the forefront, lending a dissenting voice against child defilement while coming up with therapeutic plans for victims of the abuse.

To surmise, the government has got a lion's share of these responsibilities. More sanctions should be meted at rapists and child predators. Effective implementation of the child rights act needs to see the light of day. Sections 216 and 218 of the criminal code both recognize the defilement of minor boys and girls as an offense of felony. In the best interest, implementation of strategies like that of Governor El Rufai of Kaduna State, which in 2020 approved surgical castration for convicted rapists of children under the age of 14, would also engrave serious fear in the minds of potential child molesters.

"Whilst child abuse may be committed behind closed doors, it should never be swept under the carpet," asserted the former British barrister, Constance Briscoe. In these measures, anyone found as culpable should be made to face the wrath of the law, regardless of their status, influence, or wealth; lest innocent children continue to be predisposed to danger, mental trauma, stigmatization and loss of self-worth.

Hashim Yussuf tweets via: @LegalBard

A good starting point would be the full implementation of the Child Right Act in all the states of the federation, including the Northern States, where child marriage is still practiced, even by serving legislators.

Lalasticlala mynd44 seun fynestboi ishilove Oam4j

https://dailytrust.com/child-defilement-the-need-for-effective-sanctions

https://thenationonlineng.net/on-growing-cases-of-child-defilement/amp/

https://www.reubenabati.com.ng/index.php/component/k2/opinion-child-defilement-the-need-for-sanctions-hashim-yussuf-amao

Times are changing very fast and parents need to change style of parenting to meet the changing times...

Sure.

Strict punishment and compliance should be put in place.

It should be holistic, involving both male and female offender's.

Start by calling it what it is. Which one is defilement? It is called rape. Call the convicts what they are - child molesters, the lowest of lowest scum. Let them hold that tag for life

Pls n pls, the thread is about Child defilement.... Don't turn the thread to gender war or tribal war or political war....

Let us have sense , please

Ok

Child defilement going on in many families is bone-chilling!

In Nigeria, a grandfather have been having sex with his grand daughter to the extent of procuring 4 abortions for her and has the boldness to request for a DNA test for the 5th pregnancy!......Yet to read, he has been arrested.

having sex with under 18 girls is (now) a norm in our society. It's very difficult to see a 17 year old girl that's a virgin and if you dig deeper you'd discover they are being forked by men over 30 years of age. some start getting sexed from tender age of 12-13 and the most gut wrenching part is that many neighbours observe these happenings and keep mute about it hereby normalising this despicable act. Go to rural areas and see 14 year olds aborting pregnancies, having STDs and other adverse effects of sex, some of them have had their vaginas ruptured. Also poverty is a contributing factor as many of these girls go hungry or are severely underfed hereby giving these molesters the chance trick these girls into sex by giving them basic things as food and 200 naira; this poverty factor is so bad that these girls don't realise they're being taken advantage of but rather see the molester as "caring". Also focus should be in the north where they not only molest children but have the "god given right" to marry them. how bleeped up does your belief have to be to allow child marriage?

I hope there's a paradigm shift in the future cuz this future I'm seeing looks very bleak

It all traceable to witchcraft

minks:
A good starting point would be the full implementation of the Child Right Act in all the states of the federation, including the Northern States, where child marriage is still practiced, even by serving legislators.

Them go gree?

There's no day I go to the hospital that I don't see these small small children carrying pregnancies. You won't need a soothsayer to tell you they are under 18 carrying iPhones and looking miserable. My sister saw one probably I her third trimester with a catheter. She never even enter labour, na gynae she come see.

Very fragile looking girl. The older looking husband was now holding her hand everywhere.

It is well o.

Rape is Rape! Don't use big big English to sugar coat shiiiit.. Anyone caught in the act should be castrated!!

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Sadly in certain parts of the country, kids are rushed off to marriage and statutory rape.

Child act laws should be enabled and enacted in every corners of the country.

minks:
A good starting point would be the full implementation of the Child Right Act in all the states of the federation, including the Northern States, where child marriage is still practiced, even by serving legislators.

.

The root of the issue.. if aboki fit marry umderage.. everyone else with tendency will rape and defile

Funny that a muslim highlighted this

this should be same as rapist.......they should be sentence to death!

Ok