13072019 - Buhari on new cabinet: I’ll never appoint ‘strangers’ again

SATURDAY Vanguard, JULY 13, 2019—29
Continues from 28
medical report, it should not be the only
thing we should depend on. It is about
Investigation. Investigation of sexual
crimes is different and that is why we are
saying that we need a specially trained
police force for violent crimes because it
will help them understand.
Handling Gender Based Violence
Yes, the police handle crime generally
but if you look at gender based violence,
it is not the same thing with murder or
other forms of assault. If you look at the
dynamics of issues around rape, how do
you deal with responses of victims?
A victim can come and say something
now and the next moment says something
else. Sometimes they are incoherent. If
you don’t understand where they are
coming from you will have difficulty in
dealing with them or proving it.
As individuals we react differently to
issues but because there are researchers
who have studied the variety of survivors
who can say these are some of the things
they do. So when they start talking, such
person can understand where they are
coming from, and how it has affected
them. An attempted rape victim can have
psychiatric problems while somebody
that is gang raped may not have
psychiatric issue or anything. So it is
dynamic and as individuals we respond
to issues differently.
It’s also because of our histories. Our
histories are different so also our
exposures and world view are different
from one another. So understanding the
basis, we need expertise in the area of
sexual violence.
Forensic examinations
We are talking about forensic
examination of sexual violence scenes.
Don’t forget that only sexual violence that
is reported immediately can be proved
from the views of those involved. There
are specific ways you talk to people there.
Mostly investigation here ends up in: I
call your name, you come to the police
station and write your statement, go for
medical examination and then papers are
filed. But it goes beyond all that.
To talk about the charges, there are
sexual crimes that you will not get to
charge the person on that assault. Look
at the video that is ongoing for instance;
there are a lot of things that can be picked
from that video. She’s dragged out. Where
are you taking me to? There was no
warrant of arrest. You took a child to a
place and you held the child down there.
You forcibly held the child there. There
are different things the law has. You see a
30-count charge abroad, if you escape
one, you will meet the second, you escape
the second one, you will meet the third
one. The charges are interlinked.
A typical case
I remember a case we have, two little
girls aged 2 and one year old. They can’t
talk very well but the Landlord was
physically penetrating them. The oneyear-old
would be on the floor playing,
after a while, the Landlord used his left
hand fingers to push the diapers to one
side and then insert. Physically, she goes
blank.
Meanwhile, the case has been reported
to the police, the accused person has gone
to the police for monitoring. The
monitoring call invited all of us and we
got the Office of the Public Defender, OPD,
involved. When we got there, they could
not find any evidence.
The policeman now turned to the small
girl and asked her: “Do you know this
man?” She said: “Yes. Oga Landlord” (Mr
Landlord). “What happened to you?” The
child pulled her dress up separated her
legs and said he put his hands here.
This is a two-year-old. But that case
couldn’t be handled because medical
examination was not showing anything
any more in the two girls. But in the oneyear-old,
it confirmed behaviour that
somebody had introduced her to that
activity.
Nigerians have
declared zero
tolerance for
sexual violence
But the two-year-old was able to stand up to speak. There are so
many cases that have not been able to get to the court even though
there is evidence. So the essence is that proving sexual violence proving
in court is very difficult.
Busola Dakolo’s video
Like every other Nigerian, I woke up to that video shared by Busola
Dakolo about her rape experience and it was a shock. But one thing I
want people to realise is the fact that the protest was not intended to
attack the Church.
It is the person that something happened to that can really describe
it. She is not a child, I am trained to work with children, she has been
able to express graphically what happened to her. All over the world
where there are systems in place to respond to this issue, sexual
violence is one of the most under-reported crimes. We cannot fault
Rape, for instance,
is under-reported
because of the fear
of public shame,
ridicule and
stigmatisation, but
that may be
changing, going by
recent
developments in
Nigeria
*Rape protest
what she has said. I can seat as a
victim advocate and tell you that
I believe her. We can give support
to people who come to complain.
We try to do something that can
help you move on with your life
and if there is avenue to seek
redress we also help you take
advantage of it.
I have handled over 20,000
cases, but not all have gone to
court, not because it did not
happen but because there is no
legal stand. Based on the laws,
there is a time line, we have to
follow the law. She said it
happened in Ilorin, so Kwara law
will have to determine if there is
a case to be called. But on my
seat as an advocate I stand with
her. I’m also a survivor, so where
we are coming from is different.
You are a hearer. I’m a victim
advocate, so I’m going to address
that matter as a victim advocate.
I’m also an activist, and what
activists do is to act.
COZA protest
Majority of people that joined
the protest were more of Christians. There was
certainly no intention to destroy the church with that
protest or stop people from worshipping, it was
essentially to make a statement. The goal was for the
leadership of the Church to be awakened that they
are not exempted from accountability and authority.
We demanded four things with that protest. We called
on COZA Trustees and Executive Council and leaders
to act. First demand was that Biodun Fatoyinbo
should step down, so that we can separate the issue
from the church and face him as an individual.
Second, there should be instituted an in-house
investigation with no partiality or favours. The Church
should set up a panel to listen to the grievances within
and not just wave it off. Third demand, listen to people
who have something to say and make sure that the
platform does not stigmatise them and that survivors
may continue their worship without retraumatisation.
Fourth is to uphold the virtues of Christ
in all truth.
Our acting has gone beyond Busola. It is for every
other woman or child out there that has been violated.
So when you see blood boiling there is a reason for that.
We will do the best we can. We have several NGOs in the
coalition. There has to be zero tolerance for violence
against women and children.
Role of dressing in rape incidence
What dress could a 9-year-old wear that would cause her
to be sexually violated? What of the women wearing Hijab
that are raped, do they also entice men? It is still a myth
about the connection of rape and the dress you are wearing.
To date, the moment a rape is reported and a woman is
involved, people tend to attribute it to indecent dressing.
We need to get it right that sexual violence has nothing to
do with what you are wearing. All the cases I have handled,
I have not seen one that the woman was violated as a result
of the way the woman was dressed.
Mess up
It is better for rape or any sexual violation not to happen.
We have seen the mess up already. There is serious mess up.
I still carry the scars of sexual abuse, and it is not easy on a
survivor. Some survivors don’t even know that certain
things happening to them in life have to do with the sexual
abuse they suffered earlier as children. There is emotional
trauma brought on by the experience. Some abused children
become abusers themselves.
Coming out about rape
I am also a survivor. The first time I talked about my
experience was 2003. When I came out publicly, I was not
prepared to say it, people asked whether it had happened
to me and I said yes. My own happened when I was a child
and I kept facing multiple abuses.
The day you decide to tell your story is your choice. You
can see all over the world people that open up, it didn’t
happen to them today, it happened long ago, they just
needed to have courage to talk about it.
A child would say “I cannot tell my mother.” The ones
that summon courage are not believed by family members.
Some people are afraid of future stigmatization. I use to
tell them that rape doesn’t mean your future is ruined.
Nigerian laws on sexual violence
There are many cases that don’t get to court. Sexual
violence is difficult to prove. Most times the application
and process of our laws come with different challenges. I
think our Magistrates need more enlightenment to
understand those issues because some think it cannot
happen.
Investigation is an issue, today, if you go and report that
somebody raped you, it is you that will bring money to the
police officer for the vehicle that will go and pick the
suspect.
Police has no vehicles to use, you are still the one that will
bear the cost, it is not supposed to be so.
The process needs to be re-evaluated and it has to come
from the National Assembly. The police don’t have
equipment. You get to the police station and you have to
buy statement paper and everything, so most people don’t
want to come and report. Those that report need to bear
the cost.
If you go to the police station you are spending the whole
day. There are cases of mothers who when reporting the
abuse of their children, lost their job. The process is not
okay. Our police is federal so it is federal issue. Allocation
needs to be made to protect citizens. Police is not equipped,
and most of the officers are not trained in these issues.
For survivors of sexual violence
Sexual violence victims need to seek support and
encourage each other to be strong. We need each other
because there is a lot happening to you today as a result of
the experiences from long ago. Look for trauma
management counselors. Find a true counselor who is
trained in trauma management. If you have been sexually
molested or traumatized, you need therapy. You need help
and tell the story whether you want to seek justice. For your
life’s sake and mental health and to move on in life, you
need to find therapy and support group.
Many groups are currently offering free counseling in
this area. There are also online support systems, and victims
only need to just tap into these resources. We share our
stories and troubles and help each other.