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| KOPA WE O! |
Our nation was, last Tuesday, shocked by the alleged rape of a 23-year-old female National Youth Service Corps member by a traditional ruler in Osun State. The young woman, according to her petition to the police and the management of the NYSC, got close to the king after she offered to provide computer appreciation skills to some students in the town where she is carrying out her national assignment.
The king reportedly took her to one of his private houses in the state capital, after offering to take her to her residence, and forced himself on her after threatening to kill her if she didn’t yield to his demands. The police and the management of the NYSC have launched an investigation into this. But the king isn’t talking, yet. It is, therefore, hard to get his rendition of the shoddy events that occurred between him and the young woman.
Nevertheless, we feel strongly for this young woman and salute her courage in coming out to narrate her experience. One of the hardest things for survivors of rape to do — and a lacuna that rapists always tend to rely on and exploit — is dealing with the shame that could trail the confession of being violated. Women’s rights activists and security officials have indeed been encouraging people — male and female — who might have been violated, to come out and shame their abusers. This is a good development and should be taken to heart, especially in a conservative society such as ours.
The other thing working for rapists is the difficulty in securing judgment by survivors. The scale is tipped in favour of the defence in such instances, partly because the bar is high. Unless she has a good lawyer and well-prepared medical report, the youth corps member in this latest episode might find it hard to get her alleged violator punished. It is hard to get figures on the frequency of rape in our country, and that is not because the rate is low.
Plus, she is up against a traditional ruler and chances are that the local authority might close in to protect the man. The fact that the police is yet to announce its findings — assuming it has really questioned the king as it claims it is doing — is a worrying sign. It is also possible that officials of the state government are too busy to have noticed the news — or are waiting for the police report before they move against the king. But it will be hard to sweep this under the king’s crown.
Equally worrying is the routine harassment of youth corps members. These young graduates, devoting one year of their lives to the service of their country, often find themselves adrift, neglected and sometimes abused by the system that should be their protector. Several have been killed and maimed in the course of the service. It is quite plausible to expect that many more would have been subjected to bodily violations as well — and rarely have any of their attackers been sanctioned by the authorities.
The NYSC needs to do more to secure the lives and limbs of the young men and women in its care. Mere platitudes, as is the practice when corps members are assaulted, will no longer do. If the management of the scheme needs stronger legislation, then they should make such a case before the National Assembly. It is also evident that Nigeria needs a more robust system of dealing with rapists. Law enforcement agencies must be on board in the fight against this physical and emotional defilement, and the National Assembly, when it is reconstituted, needs to provide the nation with stronger legislation to protect rape survivors. The next rape victim could be anyone’s male or female ward or relative.
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| Rubies Ink Initiative |
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