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Stakeholders have decried the lack of justice for victims of sexual violence in Nigeria, citing a culture of silence and inadequate support systems.
The stakeholders noted that most victims of sexual violence are afraid to speak out, while parents often fail to address the issue when it affects their children.
Speaking during an empowerment programme for survivors of sexual abuse, organised by Headfort Foundation for Justice, in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Sunday, the stakeholders, including lawyers and advocacy groups, pointed out that even when victims muster the courage to seek justice in court, they often lack sufficient evidence, allowing perpetrators to go free.
The Executive Director of the Headfort Foundation, Oluyemi Orija, regretted that sexual assault cases are often struck out in court because victims don’t usually present strong evidence against perpetrators.
Against this backdrop, Orija said the foundation is educating young girls about their rights after they have been victims or survivors of sexual violence.
She said, “Majority of these cases are struck out in the court because the victims are not coming up in court with evidence against the perpetrators so we are here to talk to girls about their own roles in ensuring that justice is served because justice will only be served when the court gets to hear from both parties.
“We are encouraging them to speak up, go through the justice process, to report at the police station and give evidence so that the court can do the needful.
“The truth of the matter is that despite the advocacy against gender-based violence, it still continues that is why we keep doing the advocacy and sensitisation.”
Also, the keynote speaker and state chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, Taiwo Olusesi, condemned the nonchalant attitude of people in the society towards gender-based violence.
Olusesi stressed that people, especially the family of the victim, most times consider it not important to speak out when the act is committed against their child.
She warned that sexual abuse could lead survivors to become drug abusers, losing hope, adding that sexual violence is mostly overlooked and survivors don’t always get judgment even when they speak out.
She stated, “What the victims go through is not far-fetched, it is what we all see. Society has become so used to violence. We are so used to seeing people suffer that we no longer pay attention to it. Our neighbour experienced it. Our family experienced it but we don’t know.”
But Justice Adesola Abiodun-Sobayo from the Ministry of Justice stated that the state government has always allowed the survivors to have a virtual hearing when they don’t feel like appearing in court.
Justice Abiodun-Sobayo added that at the Family Court, there is always an opportunity for speedy trials in Ogun as well.
“When it comes to Ogun State, I don’t know of any other state, but in Ogun, we don’t waste time especially when it comes to sexual offences.
“As soon as we have witnesses in court, there is no reason why we should not take the case, the judiciary is always ready, there is no way the Ministry of Justice will come to court and the survivor of sexual violence and we will not do anything about it,” the judge said.
