By Princess Olufemi – Kayode

Is the number of sexually abused children on the increase ? Do we have large number of unreported cases of sexual abuse of children?  It is arguable that not many people faced sexually abuse as children and that today, children are equally safe from such act. For me,  I interprete  a ‘No’ answer to mean -  we do not have a problem on ground today concerning children.  

A call came last week from Rev. Fr. Yebsonya Osa of St. Vincent Olodi-Apapa. He wanted to express his opinion to the article published on this column that Tuesday,  entitled Many People are Sexually Abused.  He had not finished reading the article but still called to make a comment: “I want to disagree with you that many people are sexually abused.”

Here are few sexual experiences of children: 10 year old girl , Ajoke said that her teenage house-boy sort of did push-ups on her. Another six year-old boy who was abused for a year and a half by a 14-year-old neighbour told his mother that his body was made so the older boy’s penis could fit inside him.

An  eight-year-old said  the housemaid danced “makossa” on him. While, a 13-year-old sodomised an eight-year-old boy in belief that he cares the most for him and it is their own secret game.

These are examples of what children encounter. Children do not understand sexuality and sexual abuse. They also do not understand that perpetrators take advantage for their own sexual gratification.

Children become confused by sexual acts, whether done by people they love and trust, by acquaintances, or by strangers. Some children take pleasure in the attention but the sexual contact makes them afraid and ashamed.

Andy, a man in his mid-20s, reflected on the sexual abuse his teenage uncle had perpetrated when Andy was between eight and 11 years old. “I don’t think specifically the sexual act was that pleasurable for me because it was more uncomfortable. I was scared, but I know it was probably the first time I felt there was an adult who really cared for me, and that made me feel good. That was pleasurable. So it may be that I wanted to— maybe not sought out, but enjoyed the time with him, but not specifically the sexual acts, but just feeling cared for by an adult. I think I liked that.”

In 1999,  the World Health Organisation  declared Child Sexual Abuse a World Public Health Epidemic.  In my organisation, MediaCon, we  have a slogan: “The experience of  childhood is becoming extinct.”

It is not a Nigerian issue. It is global. I do not want to recall clerical sexual abuse of children that hit world attention not too recently and still making waves and currently receiving attention of the Vatican. I know of cases in Nigeria. Are children being molested? 

A recent United States study reported by Agence France-Presse (AFP) will be shared next week amongst other reports across regions.

I will beg to argue once again that within the adult community, research has clarified that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 7 men have experienced a form of sexual molestation.  Same goes for children before the age of 18.

What we need to do is to jointly sit up and take responsibility to prevent child sexual abuse and make adequate provision for crisis intervention at all levels.

• Next week, I will share the US Study reported by AFP.