FEMALE lawyers in Abuja have advised the Federal Government to create rape crisis centres, counselling service and other victims’ assistance agency as measures to address the menace of rape.

The lawyers, who gave the advice in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja, said that the creation of such institutions would help in addressing the high rate of rape and its attendant effects on the victims.

A lawyer, Mrs. Chinelo Oputa, told NAN that rape incidents were increasing in different parts of the country and there was an urgent need for government to assist the victims.

Oputa said that effective and well-managed crisis centres and counselling units would help the rape victims to learn how to cope with the emotional trauma and physical impacts of the assault.

The lawyer, who identified impunity as a major factor for the high rate of rape cases, said that reported cases of rape were, in most cases, not properly investigated before charging suspects to court resulting in letting the suspects off the hook or giving them light punishments.

Oputa said that this accounted for many offenders to see rape as a joy ride and therefore encouraged to keep perpetrating the crime.

She, therefore, urged the police to conduct proper investigations when cases of rape were brought to them and ensure that the perpetrators pay dearly for their crime.

She said: “Despite the prevalence of rape and violence cases, offenders are neither arrested nor prosecuted.

“Even when arrest is made, prosecutors are often reluctant to take on such cases seriously.”