The director of child welfare services in Anambra State Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Children and Social Welfare, Mrs Nkechi Anazodo, on Monday revealed there was a surge in rape cases in the state during the COVID-19 lockdown between April and May.
Mrs. Anazodo, who said 80 rape cases were recorded in various parts of the state during the period, revealed that there were only 32 cases of rape in her ministry before the lockdown.
Anazodo said this during the United Nations Children’s Fund-supported launch of integrated child protection community sensitization campaign.
She said the upsurge had necessitated the need for the 10- day state-wide campaign in the 21 local government areas of the state.
Other organizations involved in the campaign programme were the National Population Commission and the National Orientation Agency with presidents of the 181 town unions, the churches, traditional institution and the women groups participating.
She said:
“Sexual violence has become the order of the day, especially during this period of lockdown. Even old men now rape children of 12 years and below. The problem we have is that people don’t report.
“Last week, a case was brought to us of a 70 year- old man that raped a four-year-old child. The case has gone to the police.
“Before the lockdown, we had only 32 cases of rape in the ministry, but the figure recorded within the last few months is over 80. It is unfortunate that some men have left their wives to be having sexual relationship with children less than five years.
“The most worrisome is that some fathers raped their daughters more during the lockdown. In most cases, fathers who rape their daughters threaten to kill them if they report.
“The problem, therefore, is that many people don’t report these cases because they feel that the victim might be stigmatized.
“That is why we are going around the 21 local government areas of the state to create awareness on this problem.”
She said the state government had created ‘task sexual assault centre’ at the Engwu-Ukwu General Hospital purposely for treating rape victims, adding that once any rape victim was brought to the centre, tests would be conducted on the victim because of the possibility that the child might have been infected with sexually transmitted diseases.
She added:
“It is advisable that the victim should be taken to this referral hospital within two hours of the rape for effective result. Treatment and counselling of the victim are free and the identity of the victim is usually well protected. Some people are already making use of the facility, but we want more people to be bringing the reports.
“Once we get any case of rape, we use the police to arrest the rapist and do everything within the law to prosecute the person”.
She urged parents, Presidents-General of Town Unions, the clergy, youth organizations, and Non-Governmental Organisations to assist in educating the people on the best way to discourage rape.
Anazodo also explained that the Anambra State Child’s Right implementation committee had been positioned to handle, among other issues, child abuse of any form.
She said the child protection network in the ministry also ensured that if there was issue of torture of any child, “we take it up and ensure that such a person is prosecuted.
