Child sexual abuse in Nigeria

Child sexual abuse is an act of sexual abuse in which an adult uses a child for sexual pleasure.^[1] The founder and executive director of Sexual Offenses Awareness and Victims Rehabilitation (SOAR) Initiatives in Nigeria defined child sexual abuse as every sexual activity between an adult and a child to meet the adult sexual needs or interest.^[2] Child sexual abuse is pervasive in every part of the world. According to United Nation, BBC reported in September 2014 that 1 in 10 girls had experienced sexual violence at early stage of their lifetime.^[3] Child sexual abuse is one of the health and human right challenge in Nigeria.^[4][5][6] The National Demographic Health Survey (NDHS) report in 2008 suggested that over 25% of adolescent in Nigeria often experience the first sexual abuse at the age of 15.^[7][8] However, cases reported to the law enforcement agents of Nigeria (Nigerian police) are less than unreported cases by parents or guidance of the victims. The News Agency of Nigeria reported in 2013 that 1,200 girls were raped in cross River state, a coastal state in southeastern Nigeria that share a common border with Cameroon to the east.^{[9][10][11][12]}

Causes

Poverty and lack of parental care are the major causes of child sexual abuse or child molestation in Nigeria.^[13] Other factors includes unemployment, marital conflicts and polygamous marriage.^[14][15][16] Family background is also a major cause of child sexual abuse in Nigeria.^[17] Mixed family enhance child sexual abuse, in a situation where young girls live with step-fathers rather than their biological father.^[18][19]

Offenders

The offenders or abusers are usually someone well-known to the family of the child and someone the child really trust.^[20][21][22] It is either a father assaulting his biological daughter^[23][24][25] or brother to his younger sister.^[26][27] Teachers to pupils or student (in secondary school) and uncle to his young niece.^{[28][29][30][31]}

Punishment

The punishment for child sexual abuse in Nigeria is life imprisonment according to the criminal code act of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under section 218.^[32][33]

References

See also