YWCA decries sexual abuse, urges overhaul of security apparatus

Members of the Young Women Christian Association (YWCA) has called for the overhaul of the nation’s security architecture, over failure to protect women.

The National President of YWCA, Mrs. Temilade Gbolahan, who led a rally on violence against women in Lagos, called on government and other relevant agencies to rise up to their responsibilities and protect women from sexual escapades of rapists.

She said YWCA was not just worried, but also afraid of the precarious situation, as girls and women deserve respect and protection from domestic and sexual violence, especially during the lockdown period.

Recalling the ugly murder of Miss Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, a 100-level student of the University of Benin by rapists and Miss Bello Mubarak of the Institute of Agricultural Research, Oluyode, Ibadan for refusing to be violated by armed robbers, Mrs. Gbolahan said government and society must do something about it.

“Cases of gang-raping are now at an alarming rate by these animals in human bodies. YWCA says women should not be objects of experimenting for boys and men’s sexual escapades. Our girls are getting more endangered. Is it a crime to be a woman? We call on all Civil Society Organisations to start campaigning on moulding the boy child.

“We are protesting against the menace that is common in our country today, even as we noticed that during the lockdown, there was an increase in rape incidence in the country. We need to protest against it, as we don’t want our girls to be violated again. We say no to it. We are women of virtues; we are mothers and have girls and boys.

“After kidnapping women, they still rape them. Some fathers are even committing incest against their own children, although some women also lure boys into this act. What can ever attract a 65-year-old man to have sex with a four-month-old baby? We are saying enough is enough. In Anambra State, about 80 fathers have raped their daughters in the short period of the lockdown. There are a lot of cases that are not reported. All mothers should be close to their daughters, while ladies should not walk alone,” she added.

Also, the association’s immediate past National President, Lady Chikwue Ochiagha, advised women to be alert to their environment. She said if caught unawares, they should pick any object around as a weapon to defend themselves.