Rape; An Upsurging Menace In Nigeria.

Over recent times, the cases of rape have been rampant in our society today. Rape is not a gender phenomenon; it is not attached to a specific gender. Rape is an act of sexual intercourse without the approval of the victim, either with the application of force or treat. It is a type of sexual assault carried out with the use of force or coercion against a person without that person's will.

According to UNICEF(2015) it has been stated that one in four girls and one in ten boys in Nigeria had experienced sexual violence before the age of 18 and six out of ten children in Nigeria experience emotional, physical or sexual abuse before the age of 18, with half experiencing physical violence. Despite the fact that Nigeria isn't even on the best 100 nations with the most assault cases, the quantity of individuals losing their lives to this revolting wrongdoing is disturbing.

Recently on May 27, Uwavera Omozuwa a 200-level understudy of University of Benin was raped and killed without a second thought in a Christian congregation where she was studying. Another current rape case is the eighteen-year-old Barakat Bello in Oyo State, raped and stabbed to death at the back of her house on June 1. Should we blame the location? because people tend to blame the victims for being raped; either their dressing, attitude, even location, for example walking late at night among others.

The latest rape victim is a twelve-year-girl in Ajah Lagos, who was gangraped by five men in her father’s house on the 6th of June and the occurrence was taped and posted on the Internet, a mysterious man likewise imparted his experience to 3men that nearly assaulted him in Abuja. Also, a three-year-old girl passed away after being raped by a 35-year-old man through her private part and anus which purportedly got torn in the process, disputing that age is not a barrier to rape.

In April 2016, a thirty-year-old man S. Ude from Eboyin reportedly was arrested for raping Agha, a ten-year-old boy, who he lured to the farm where the assault was carried out. On February 23, 2016, it was also announced that a 34-year-old trader was released for allegedly raping a 9-year-old boy. Rape is therefore not a gender- biased act. Though male rape cases have not been elaborated on headlines because male victims; majorly young boys, find it difficult to voice out.

It has been identified that some of the causes of rape are unequal power relation between the rapist and the victim; to assert their competence, influence of alcohol and drug addiction, jealousy on the path of one individual, lack of proper home training. Some other minute identified causes includes lack of tolerance and patience, stress and disturbed emotion. For rapists, rape has become a way to compensate for feeling inadequate and showcase their strength, power, control and even capabilities. They enforce this power via oral threats, use of hazardous arms and also apply required power on the victim to carry out the assault. Some acted under the influence of drugs and alcohol

One thing about rape is that it leaves its victim with ceaseless emotional and psychological scars. It also affects and limits personal growth, productivity, social and economic roles. Rape also negates the human rights. Some physical effects of rape are; bruising, Soreness, sexually transmitted diseases or infections, unwanted pregnancy etc. Some mental effects are: depression, flashbacks, nightmares, prolonged sadness, suicidal thought or attempt etc. Some emotional effects include: shock, anger, fear, self-blame, disorientation and a lot more.

The rampant increase in the cases of rape is very alarming as it addresses the psychological condition of the citizens. We must keep the public enlightened and educated on rape and also alert the governments and residential individuals to practice more cautiousness at family and network levels so as to give more noteworthy insurance to Nigerians. Assault is a savage wrongdoing that dehumanizes the people in question and decreases their feeling of self-esteem. There must be no spot in our general public for sexual assaulters, as they are severely punished for their crimes. Importantly, never blame the victims because sexual assaults and rape are never the victim’s fault; they never prayed for it.