By Anino Aganbi

COMMUNITY members pose as a challenge during investigation of rape perpetrators. This was revealed by Juliet Ruffai during the rape of innocence event held in Lagos.

The event which was organized by Band of faith, the women’s wing of Archbishop Vinning Memorial Church, GRA Ikeja, had participants from the Lagos ministry of youths and social development, Lagos state ministry of women affairs and poverty alleviation, Lagos state domestic and sexual violence response team among others to discuss of what they termed “The rape of innocence”

Cross section of participants at the event

Juliet Olumuyiwa Ruffai (Mirabel Centre) states “Every survivor of rape is innocent. Sexual abuse is any sexual act that takes place without the persons consent. You cannot say that you consented to be raped because of the way you were dressed or because you visited a man who you were supposed to be dating. There are various forms of sexual abuse; Attempt to commit sexual abuse, Sexual assault which attracts penalty and Penetration (Rape).”

Ruffai further said “We make these clarifications because community members pose as a challenge because more often than not rape perpetrators are repeat offenders who live within our communities. From our statistics at Mirabel Centre, over 90% of those who rape are people who are close to us. They take advantage of over familiarity. It is in rare occasions that strangers rape people.”

Also speaking at the event, Funke Amsat (Lagos state judiciary, chief magistrate ) also gave a statistics that 1 in 6 children will be abused in their life time.

“Neglect is at the heart of child abuse. Rape and defilement in Lagos state attract life imprisonment. Sexual predators plan, observe and overcome the victims resistance. They do not just act. They have what we call the thinking stage and are exposed to what they want. They look for a victim who is vulnerable and go as far as gaining the trust of the care giver. They fill a need which is where the gifts come in, then they sexualise the relationship and expose the child to sexual intimacy. Once the abuse starts, they thrive on intimacy and then blame the girl.