•Parents/guardians who fail to report cases will go to jail

•N1m fine to hospitals which fail to report cases

•Free, compulsory treatment for sexually abused children

By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo

THE Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has passed a Bill on Free and Compulsory Medical treatment and care for Child victims of sexual violence into Law.

The passage of the bill came after the House considered the recommendations contained in the report of the committee on Women Affairs  during yesterday plenary. 

Presenting the report on the floor of the House ,the Chairman and member representing Okobo state constituency,    Princess Felicia Bassey, said the passage of the bill became important as there was the  need to protect children who are victims of sexual abuse.

Princess Bassey who is also Deputy Speaker of the House expressed concern that sexual abuse against children has become a recurring decimal and inimical to decency.

 She added that more worrying is the fact that while perpetrators sometimes go unpunished, victims were denied access to free healthcare services and in some cases no official report made of the incident.

Among the Committee’s recommendations were that a sexual assault referral centre should be set up and that any hospital that fails to report cases of sexual violence or abuse would be liable to a fine of one million naira. 

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It also recommended that even parents or guardians who fail to report or prevent a hospital from making a report of case of sexual violence will be liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 3 months with no option of fine.

The committee further recommended that “any person, authority, including police officer or security agent that stands by and fails to perform his duty under the law has committed an offence and is liable upon conviction to a fine of five hundred thousand naira or imprisonment for two years or both.

  The   House passed the bill after it was read the third time and then adjourned plenary to next Tuesday, September 28, 2021.

Vanguard News Nigeria