Rape; Effects And Ways Of Eradicating It In Our Society

​It is of utmost disdain and disgrace that the issue of rape is escalating as the days go by. One would think that this hideous crime ought to have gone extinct owing to all the demonstrations and protests that have been done to curb its continuity. But no, it has continued to rise above a bearable level. On the 1st of July 2020, the news went out that a Grandma died of a heart attack after her 3 granddaughters were raped in front of her. Here in Nigeria, in Rivers state, the Civil Rights Council (CRC) monitoring human rights violation in the state said that over 40 cases of alleged sexual abuse had been reported since May 2020. On 3rd December 2019, Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dame Pauline Tallen, according to a report, said that two (2) million Nigerians are raped every year. It is appalling that most rape victims are girls and children. UNICEF reported in 2015 that one in four girls and one in ten boys in Nigeria had experienced sexual violation before the age of 18. A one-year survey conducted at Enugu State Teaching Hospital between 2012 and 2013 revealed that 70% of sexual assault victims were under the age of 18, clearly children. This whole situation could lead to a tremendous, terrific and terminal effect. What could these effects be?
​Consequently, rape can lead to sexually transmitted infections like; HIV/AIDS, gonorrhoea, syphilis... Most times, rape victims get infected with STDs without knowing it until it is very late. This is because many a rape victim fails to seek medical attention so as to run away from stigmatization thereby endangering their lives the more and death could be an after effect. In addition, rape can be a cause of unwanted pregnancies in females. This can disrupt ones youth. If a young teenager of let’s say 15 years, should get pregnant through rape, the aftermath would be dilapidating. The juvenile could have serious and complicated reproductive issues, die during child delivery because of her immature body system, endanger her life on abortion, her education put at stake, all because of a single incident; rape​Furthermore, rape can have an effect of depression on its victim. Depression is a mood disorder that occurs when feelings associated with sadness, hopelessness, continue for a long period of time and interrupt regular thought pattern. In 2012, an estimated 16 million adult experienced depression according to the National Institute of Health (NIH) and sexual assault is one of its causes. Rape could cause stigmatization on the victim, depression, emotional imbalance, and so on. This menace should be totally eradicated from our society. How can this be done?
​First, laws should be implemented not just made. The Nigeria’s 2013 sexual offences Bill highlights sexual violence related crimes and the punishments that should go unquestioned. However, the bill has not been that effective as rapists continue on their actions everyday across the country. In the month of June 2020 alone, more than 20 cases of rape were reported. What about those who haven’t gone to report to the authorities? These are the people who believe that their rappers wouldn’t be brought to book and go scot-free because of our wishy-washy judicial system. These are people who don’t want to face societal condemnation after reporting their rappers. Therefore, it is Important that as citizens, we pressurise the government through safe protests; social media and letters to our senators, letting them know that enough is enough. Government tends to take action once highly pressurised to do so in most democratic states, especially as the attention of the media both nationally and internationally which leaders would want to avoid, as this breeds negative perception.
​Second, self-defence trainings could be organised for the entire population. Defending oneself physically in an unsafe environment is highly essential. Resistant strategies can stop the actions of a rapist whether forceful, non-forceful (such as the use of a rape alarm) or a verbal outburst. Proper sex education should be taught from generation to generation, formally and informally.
People should be taught on the bad effects of rape. They should be taught that nobody deserves to be raped. People should also be educated not to see movies that display nudity, pornography of every form, as these stimulates ones sexual hormones and can lead one into committing rape. Parents should educate their children on how best to relate with people, friends and strangers alike, so as to prevent being raped. The society should be told that stigmatization of a rape victim should be stopped as this leads to a more dilapidating outcome.
​In conclusion, rape is a crime that everybody should desist from; it leaves its victim in shambles. Effective measures should be taken, with immediacy, in other to delete this crime entirely from the society so as to stop its harm on our youths, children, and every other endangered specie. As the saying goes, “a stitch in time saves nine”. If something is not done to this, then the entire society would be done for.