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Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The Benue State Commissioner of Police, Mukaddas Garba, has lamented the increasing spate of sexual assault, especially the rape of minors, in the state.
Garba made remarks Wednesday at the Benue State State University (BSU) during a dissemination of research findings workshop organised by the institution’s Centre for Gender Studies.
The Centre had carried out key research on sexual violence, namely ‘Sexual Assault in Benue: Prevalence, Pattern and the Silent Burden’ and ‘Community Participation in Identifying and Curbing the Menace of Domestic Violence in Benue State’.
Represented by the Gender Officer in the state Police Command, SUPOL Ann Ameh, the Commissioner of Police regretted that no day passes without at least one rape case being reported to the police in the state.
“The issue of sexual assault is alarmingly on the increase on a daily basis in Benue. There is no day that such issues are not reported to the police in the state. And that is just few among them as many are not reported at all for fear of stigmatisation,” Ameh said, speaking for the Commissioner.
The Commissioner pledged his full commitment to partnering with relevant organisations to reduce sexual crime to the barest minimum.
Earlier in a welcome address, the Director of the Centre for Gender Studies, Prof. Chinwe Onwodumogu, said the two research topics are currently in the front burner of societal discourse at all levels because of their negative impact on individuals, families, communities and the larger society.
“Sexual abuse and domestic violence leave the perpetrators and their victims bitter, disgruntled, psychologically and socially maladjusted, though the effect on direct victims is more devastating,” she noted.
“The acts are a debacle in nature and leave the victims debased, with a sense of worthlessness. The perpetrators are inhuman and their action dehumanises the victims.
“Research evidence suggests the perpetrators may have been victims themselves. In other words, sexual assault and domestic violence are crimes against self and victims which in their ramifications and manifestations negate the essence of gender equality,” Onwodumogu stated.
Declaring the dissemination open, BSU Vice Chancellor Prof. Msugh Kembe, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. Agbo Omudu, said the issue of sexual harassment and gender violence have always been in the media with the latest being the investigations by BBC at the University of Lagos.
“That’s why the Centre conducted two researches in these regards. This meeting is to conclude the researches. The interaction is very important to researchers,” the VC said.
