Ibezim made the call in a message to the Girls’ Guild of the Diocese of Awka, on the occasion of 2020 Girl’s Guild Sunday celebration held at Church of the Pentecost Awka on Sunday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the theme for the Girls’ Guild Sunday of the Anglican Communion was: “Be Still, and Know That I am God, Psalm 46 verse 10”.

She urged young girls to be cautious of the clothes they wear, the friends they keep, and places they also visit as negligence of the variables may lead to rape and other sexual assaults.

Ibezim admonished the young girls to be godly and join hands to fight rape as it had become a dominant issue of the season with more cases of forceful sexual abuse, drugging, and murder recorded every day.

“There is a high rate of rape cases everywhere now; we all must join hand to fight the baseless men, who overpower their victims and drug them.

“Sisters, let us watch and pray against these evils and stand up against rape and other forms of violence against women,” she said.

Ibezim said that it was apt for the Church, families, and the society to raise stronger voices against a forceful sexual relationship that affects women and young girls.

She said that the current trend of using dangerous drugs to cause victims to lose their memory, prevent the immediate and permanent conception of victims, and gruesome murdering of victims should be legally discouraged.

“A stiffer penalty should be imposed on any defaulter, irrespective of his social status, as a deterrent to other baseless men roaming in the society,” she said.

She pointed out that the Bible stands against violence against women, saying that the issues of rape should be treated as murder, quoting Deuteronomy 22, 23 to 29.

“Cases of rape caused wars in the old testament, recall the case of Dinah and the unnamed woman in Judges Chapter 19.

“The cry of Tamar over her rape by her half-brother, Amnon, made Absalom kill Amnon; it is a heavy crime that should be treated seriously,” she said.

She urged young girls to remain hopeful no matter the challenges, urging them to be encouraged by the theme “Be still and know that I am God” which meant that God knows their plight.

She also advised them to be godly for God to keep them safer.

Ibezim urged the girls, as future mothers, to always carry themselves as God’s women and desist from all ungodliness that could attract abuse to them.

She said that obedience to the words of God and observance of the rule of law was the hallmark of a godly girl which they all must strive to be.

Miss Chisom Mbachi, one of the Girls’ Guild member, said that she was excited over the message of the wife of the archbishop and president of girls’ guild.

“The message was full of wisdom and exposition that will enable young girls to avoid trouble which may lead to their death or misfortune in the life.”

Mrs. Uzoamka Emegwa, the wife of the Vicar of the Church and leader of the girls’ guild in the Church, urged the girls to keep to heart all they were learning as it would keep them away from danger.

Emegwa urged the girls never to take to suicide or any harmful practices against themselves any time they were faced with life challenges, urging them to rather embrace God.

 Reports have it that highlights of the event included a rendition of special songs by the girls’ guild.