PUNCH
A non-governmental organisation, The Soul Bliss Foundation, on Tuesday, enlightened some students in Lagos State on rape and sexual abuse in a programme tagged “War Against Rape and Sexual Abuse.”
The Founder of the NGO, Ms Joan Linda, said that the programme was a sequel to the “My Virginity, My Pride” seminar.
Linda, an educator, said that the programme was an annual programme aimed at enlightening girls on sex, rape and other forms of sexual abuse, as most girls get pregnant out of wedlock.
She said she was a victim of rape and that the trauma, depression, and shame had remained with her.
She said she started the NGO to be a voice for affected persons and that the initiative had yielded positive results, having helped to reduce the suicidal tendencies of some rape victims she encountered.
She said that a lot of sexual harassment happens in schools and many schools tend to cover it up.
A guest speaker, Mr. Kenneth Chukwuemeka, said that one out of four females experienced some form of violence in Nigeria.
Chukwuemeka also said that one in 10 boys also experienced some form of sexual violence/molestation from a senior person or adult in their lifetime.
According to him, the topic of discussion is sensitive and needs to be treated as such.
He gave an account of how a maid who lived in his compound harassed him when he was nine years old and the maid was 17 years old.
He said, “I couldn’t tell anyone, as she threatened to kill me if I told anyone.”
Suggesting some ways to prevent sexual abuse, he encouraged…
