Commissioner condemns rising cases of sexual violence

Port Harcourt—The increasing reports of rape and sexual violence in Rivers State  have become a source of concern to the state government, Mr Joe Poroma, the Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, has said.

In an address at a one-day seminar organised by ‘Doctors Without Borders’ in conjunction with the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and the Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, yesterday  in Port Harcourt, the Commissioner condemned the situation.

He said that reports of rape and sexual violence received regularly in his office had become worrisome to the government.

Poroma said it was unfortunate that family values are been abused by adults, who raped children and left them with the psychological trauma, noting that there was the need for urgent action to curb the trend.

The Commissioner explained that the seminar was to equip the social workers to help victims of rape to overcome the challenges, stressing that the Ministry was putting things together to prosecute culprits in line with the Child Rights Law and other relevant laws.

He urged the social workers to use the opportunity to update their knowledge and equip themselves for the task ahead.

He urged parents and victims of rape and sexual violence to speak out, assuring them that such cases would be treated according to law and in confidence.

Speaking on ‘The Legal Implication of Rape and Sexual Violence,’  the Chairperson of FIDA in the state, Mrs Florence Fibersima, descried rape as “a criminal act which everybody must fight against.”
Represented by Mrs Evelyn Asimia, the FIDA chairperson urged victims of rape to always report to appropriate authorities, saying that FIDA was willing to offer legal assistance to the victims.

In her presentation, Dr Glory Kanu, the Coordinator of Doctors without Borders, said “a rape victim is bound to face many risks, including medical and psychological hazards.”