BY ESTHER ONYEGBULA

LAGOS—Rights activists have called for concerted efforts on the part of governments and faith-based organisations to combat the rising wave of sexual violence in Nigeria  and punish  offenders.
Alarmed by the incessant cases of sexual crimes, especially against children across the country,  the activists, made the call  at a gathering of human right groups and stakeholders in Lagos.

The forum was meant to stimulate action to reduce rape and end impunity of sexual crime offenders.
Citing different cases of rape across the country, Dr. Josephine Effah-Chukwuma, founder, Project Alert, said: “Impunity seems to be the reason for this sexual epidemic we are currently experiencing because people committing these crimes are not being brought to book.

“As Nigerians we keep saying victims of sexual crimes – rape, gang rape and different forms of sexual abuse do not report their victimisation. We need to understand that for as long as the issues of sexual crimes are not treated with the seriousness they deserve, victims will continue to experience secondary victimisation.”