Women in Politics Forum (WIPF), a pressure group, has expressed concerns on the rise in sexual violence against women and girls, describing the act as “horrendous and scary.”
Its National President Ebere Ifendu stated this in a statement made available to the media in Abuja, noting that over 700 cases have been reported in the short period of five months.
According to the statement, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) remains one of the most oppressive forms of gender inequality as it poses a fundamental barrier to the equal participation of women in social, economic, and political spheres in Nigeria.
Stating that there is “no more safe space, hiding place for women in the country,” the statement said the figure represents an insignificant number of victims that have been violated since Nigeria is still encumbered with a culture of silence and victim shaming, blaming.
“Recently, over 700 cases of rape have been reported in Nigeria within five months this year. It is with great despair that we write to criticise and condemn the horrific violations against vulnerable women and children.
“These incidents are reinforcement of the fact that the safety and well-being of women and girls in Nigeria are in jeopardy and cannot be guaranteed.”
It further noted with displeasure that only a few states of the federation have taken concerns by initiating frameworks to combat the menace of SGBV by domesticating the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, 2015 (VAPP Act) which seeks to eliminate violence in private and public life, prohibit all forms of violence against persons to provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims and punishment of offenders and other related matters.
“We demand a call to action on all institutions of governance and authority for a responsive action towards domesticating the VAPP ACT 2015 in all states of the federation and strengthening all frameworks towards the eradication of sexual and gender-based violence in Nigeria.
“Women and girls in Nigeria deserve to be safe in society without the fear of being violated. Hence we demand a home and country where their protection and safety are guaranteed, only then can we say we have a nation where peace and justice reigns,” the statement stressed.