Rape and Pedophilia: Causes and Solutions, By Ahmad Hamisu Umar
AREWA AGENDA – It is not uncommon these days to hear cases of sexual assault in our society. Not long ago, Nigerians were overwhelmed with cases of girls between the ages of two and above, who were sexually abused and traumatized in their communities, homes, schools and even places of worship.
The most recent was one of a young girl, Uwavera Omozuwa, a 100 level student of the University of Benin, who was raped and killed in a Redeemed Christian Church of God in Benin, Edo state. That incidence opened a can of worms as alot of sexually abused girls seized the moment to narrate their painful experience with rape. This trend is bothersome, evil, deadly and even life -threatening. Suffice to say that clerics, experts and even those in position of authority have lent their voice in expressing dismay over the evil act.
Sexual assault has become an albatross around people’s necks; It impedes on social security and psychological stability. Every right-thinking person in a good frame of mind would condemn the perpetrators of this dastardly act and even lend their hands in ensuring that the evil doers face the full wrath of the law in order to serve as detterance to others.
Verrbal condemnation alone wouldn’t be effective in rescuing the situation. We have to use all our available resources; intellectual, physical and spiritual authority to fight the causes of this sexual harassment. However, this could only be achieved when critical and thorough investigation are purely conducted and analyzed, so as to find everlasting solutions to the problem, as there would be no prescription without diagnosis. Below are some causes and possible solutions of rape as suggested by experts and religious clerics:
Indecent Exposure; surely, there is no doubt that dresses that often expose parts of female body like genitals, buttocks, nipples and other sensitive parts entice some men to react instantly. These expositions arouse their sexual desire and enforce them to engage in the act. That’s why both Christianity and Islam encourage modesty in dress and discourage impudence.
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In likeness to the above, a lesson can be easily derived from a philosophy of a shegoat. Look how a shegoat lives a life with full of sexual appetite due to the genital exposition; their tails are short and little, it cannot cover its private parts. That makes the male counterparts always be in constant enticement. The same thing could also be applied to humans, unless if, only our women embrace decent dress that can’t reveal their inner structure provocatively. Then, they will safe or they will be left to choose between the devil and the deep sea.
More so, some parents particularly mothers are to blame for child -rape. This is because, mothers of now a days, allow their little children to play around untrusted adults and strangers without taking any precaution. They tend to be oblivious to their motherly role and duties by forsaking these innocent children to face danger without giving them protection. While others, send their children errands for hawking, seeking lively hood to the family. In the course of time, some ungodly male-adults use the opportunity to perpetrate the evil act. And God forbid, when the do was done, these empty vessels begin to make the most noise, blaming the culprits while, in reality, they are the real architect of the doom.
In furtherance to the causes of rape, a solution that will last the taste of time and bring an end to the menace has to be met out. One of which is castration as suggested by FCT mininster. Yes, our judges and legislatures have to make castration a punishment for the rapists. Henceforth, anybody found guilty of rape by any court of law, should be punished by castration; a total removal of testicles. If the above punishment is so high, the culprit should be sentenced to life imprisonment, or death penalty either by hanging, fire squad, or stoning as prescribed in Islam.
Our society has to show total dismissal, rejection and abhorrence to the act. Anybody found guilty, no matter his status, privilege, influence, tribe, religion or political affiliation, has to taste bitter side of law. Each and every single one of us, as a member of our society, has to be a watch dog; putting our eyes and supervising any suspicious activity, as saying goes “no man is an island “. May God see us through.
Ahmad Hamisu Umar, A writer, social analyst and teacher writes from Kano
Arewa Agenda is a Publication of young writers from Northern Nigeria towards peaceful coexistence and national development through positive narratives.
