Sexual Violence

Zara had taken her Uncle’s life. This had become an open secret that was known throughout the family, but no one talked about it. To everyone else, Uncle Habila had died mysteriously from an attack at his home, but Zara could recount the events from the night he had come home drunk during her visit. That night, she lost her innocence to the fiery urges of a man who should have known better – in a fire that eventually consumed him as well.

While maybe not as dramatic, this is the very sad tale of women and men across Nigeria the world as a whole. The recent NDHS 2018 reports that up to nine percent (that is about 1 in every 10) of Nigerian women have experienced sexual violence. This cuts across girls and women of all age groups and marital status. It is estimated that 35% of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or sexual violence by a non-partner (not including sexual harassment) at some point in their lives. However, some studies show that up to 70% of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime. Adding to the wealth of research, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that up to one-third of girls record their first sexual experience to be through forced intercourse; such a gory picture. It must however be noted that while the majority of victims of sexual violence are said to be females, males across all ages also fall victim.

What exactly is Sexual Violence?

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), sexual violence is any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, unwanted sexual comments or advances, or acts to traffic, or otherwise directed, against a person’s sexuality using coercion, by any person regardless of their relationship to the victim, in any setting, including but not limited to home and work. Sexual violence is usually seen in circumstances where the abuser has some form of power over his/her victim or can subdue the victim.

Sexual violence could include:
* rape within marriage or dating relationships,
* rape by strangers,
* systematic rape during armed conflict,
* unwanted sexual advances or sexual harassment, including demanding sex in return for favours,
* sexual abuse of mentally or physically disabled people,
* sexual abuse of children,
* forced marriage or cohabitation, including the marriage of children,
* denial of the right to use contraception or to adopt other measures to protect against sexually transmitted diseases,
* forced abortion,
* violent acts against the sexual integrity of women, including forced female genital mutilation and obligatory inspections for virginity,
* forced prostitution and trafficking of people for sexual exploitation.

What can we do to combat Sexual Violence?

Due to the severity of this problem, the community must be open to implementing community-wide recommendations on dealing with sexual violence. Firstly, advocacy for mental and sexual health is essential. This should encompass the education of both girls and boys/women and men on exactly what constitutes sexual violence (including sexual violence occurring within the confines of marriage), what full consent to a sexual act means, and the dangers of forceful intercourse.
Secondly, the functionality of key institutions in the areas of medicine and law must be the top priority of the society. Especially in developing societies such as ours, victims of sexual violence often are not encouraged through the enabling societal atmosphere to seek help. Avenues should be created for victims to be able to speak out anonymously.

These victims should then be located and separated from their sexual abusers (especially when the abuse has been occurring over a long-time) and transferred to a safe environment from where treatment and rehabilitation can be initiated. Offenders, on the other hand, are to be punished by stringent legislation. There should be clear-cut, severe punishments to deter sexual offenders e.g a sex-offender register. Legislation should also protect and not discriminate against victims.
Another pivotal recommendation, that is dear to our hearts is this: we must teach people the importance of consent. The lack of explicit consent is commonly at the heart of many incidences of sexual violence. Consent should not be assumed but always actively sort and expressly given. We must also be made to realise that certain persons such as children or those who have a form of mental impairment cannot give true consent. True consent is the goal.
In conclusion, we must take up the war against Sexual Violence in all its many disguises. Perhaps, with adequate advocacy and education, as has been outlined above, Zara could have been spared from the predicament she is in. The next Zara doesn’t have to fall victim.
We must all play our parts.