Rampant defilement of young girls

SIR: It is appalling and disheartening the rate at which girls, especially underage are defiled by sexual attackers in the country.

 Incessant defilement and rapes have become a national issue that must be given utmost attention and addressed by stakeholders; governments at all levels should also help to secure the future of Nigerian girls and to help protect their integrity.

 Most of the underage girls that were molested, no doubt, have developed one ailment or the other.

Records in Lagos State revealed that 678 rape cases were declared in one year alone. Statistics from the police between March 2012 and March 2013 indicated that rape of minors was on the increase in Nigeria despite legal implications.

  One disgusting case was that of a 47-year-old man who was arrested March last year for serially raping his seven-year-old daughter and his one-month-old grand daughter, while a 13-year-old girl was also gang-raped by three men in Lagos. Also reported was an alleged rape of two minors by a pastor sometimes last April.

  Not surprisingly, statistics on rape and sexual assault showed they are becoming more pronounced throughout the world.

  One way of reducing the high rate of girls’ defilement is for parents, especially mothers, to keep an eye on their female children. 

• Temitayo Taylor,

Abeokuta, Ogun State