Delta battles increasing sexual violence, records 366 cases
Nosa Akenzua, Asaba
Determined to eradicate all forms of sexual violence in the state, Delta government has stepped up campaigns against the increasing rate of sexual violence and rape, warning that rapists or sexual abusers will be henceforth adequately punished in accordance with the laws.
The state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Peter Mrakpor who confirmed steps taken by the state government to Journalists in Asaba on Thursday, said that the state had in 2018/2019 recorded 366 cases of sexual violence and rape, adding that the state government would prefer stiffer punishments on Offenders in accordance with the laws henceforth.
While urging the media to do more of sensitization with a view to collaborating with the state government, Mrakpor regretted the alleged negligence of parents and the shylock attitude of either raped or sexually violated victims to come out with the true story and assured that the state government will do everything possible to reduce the scourge in the state, especially among under aged, others.
He said: “Sexual violence and rape are crimes against humanity and the Delta state government is taking it seriously with a view to ensuring that the increasing rates are reduced and Offenders are brought to book, but it’s painful that many of the victims are shy to report to the police or state government, especially when the offenders are charged to court, instead they will abandoned the case for stigmatization and other and the state government has taken steps to ensure that the rate has been drastically reduced through sensitization and collaboration with the media and the law enforcement agencies”
Police Commissioner in the state, Adeleke Adeyinka had last week confirmed to Journalists in Asaba that the police were doing a lot to ensure that offenders are adequately punished in accordance with the laws, disclosing that over 31 cases of rape and sexual violence were in the last few months handled with many of the offenders arraigned in court.
He however assured that the police were committed to the protection of lives and property in the state and warned that it will no longer be businesses as usual for criminals in the state as the police were determined than ever before to ensure a crime free state.
Addressing Journalists on Thursday in Asaba, the state Coordinator, Girls Power Initiative,a Non-Governmental Organization ( NGO) , Mrs Ehita Ikoghode Aikpitanyi regretted the increasing sexual violence and rape in the state, disclosing that the situation had been alarming, especially among under aged and minors and appealed to the media to help sensitize the public the implications to the victims.
According to her “my organization since 2017 had organized stakholders’ forum within 15 communities and we have visited several schools across the state, trained teachers but our pains are very enormous that so much sexual violence in the state and we hope that very soon it will be a thing of the past because people are not bothered and the situation is becoming too unbecoming in Delta state.
“We are doing our best by organizing local trainings, economic skills including soap making process and over 500,000 girls have been trained in 2019, and we have also given them the needed information for prevention even in the face of the upsurge in sexual violence in the state, our duties are to train and follow cases which we will there after handed over to the ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in the state and we are appealing to the media to help make their contributions”
Investigation revealed that area worse hit are Isoko South and North, Ika South and North East, Asaba, Ibusa, Ughelli communities and Effurun among others where there are daily hue and cry of sexual violence and rape with under aged and minors as victims.
