The reporting of rape cases is very challenging in developing countries like Nigeria, especially when the victims report the abuse years later. Rape cases are the most difficult cases to prove in court.
However, a family medicine specialist, Dr Adesida Adewumi is enlightening the public on how to preserve evidence of rape to help the victims get justice.
The specialist advised rape victims not to bathe or change their clothes before visiting the hospital for examination.
Adewumi, at a webinar organised by The Pro Bono Centre, said rape victims always suffer infections, unwanted pregnancies and psychological trauma. According to the specialist,
“The only reason why people get themselves involved in rape is lack of self-control. Rape is perpetrated most times by people who cannot control themselves. Blaming the rape victim on her choice of dressing is a wrong perspective of society.
Sexual assault is divided into two; we have penetrative sexual assault and non-penetrative sexual assault. It is the penetrative sexual assault that we call rape.
A lot of things could be termed as sexual violence, but once there is no penetration, it cannot be termed rape. The penetration can be the mouth, anus, vagina or any body part.”
Adewumi further counseled rape victims to always go to the nearest hospital for a check-up to ascertain the level of damage done to their bodies. The expert added:
“Immediately they suffer abuse, they should not take a bathe, they should not change their clothes, but rather they should run to the nearest hospital. This will allow an expert to conduct an investigation and examine the person.”
A boy child advocate on mental health education, Ms. Eloviano Afakpe, advised parents to train their male children so that they could grow to be responsible adults. She stated:
“When a boy child is properly raised he becomes a responsible adult and society will be free from all of these rape stories.
The rape issue cannot be eradicated, but it can be reduced drastically if we focus on the boy child, if we nurture them with the right morals. It starts from the home and when all of these are done, we will all have a peaceful society.”
The convener of the webinar, Mrs Mariam Nurudeen-Arole, said the event was organised to raise the awareness on all forms of abuse and to tell rape victims that they could get free legal support.
