Rape under Nigerian laws and the need for amendment
By Michael Joseph and Toluwani Bamigboje
Rape has a history that almost equalled the history of man’s creation. It is on record that the first recorded incidence of rape in the Bible was also in the Book of Genesis. Indeed biblically, rape was a constant feature among men and at a point it was taken as a thing of shame, not on the victim but on the family of the person raped.
Culturally, it is an offence which stands on the same pedestal with the offence of murder, since a suspect accused of rape is expected to go into hiding while his people make efforts to cleanse the shame on the face of the family of the rape victim.
Despite all these, the offence of rape in Nigeria seems to be on the increase and the question on every lip is what the cause is? Does it mean that the
punishment stipulated for it in the extant laws is no longer heavy enough to deter would-be rapist or are there factors which ostensibly offer more incentives for rape than the risk of its punishment.Furthermore, there is the fact that women have always been perceived as
the weaker vessel, and so have been subjugated and oppressed by culture
in most African societies.
punishment stipulated for it in the extant laws is no longer heavy enough to deter would-be rapist or are there factors which ostensibly offer more incentives for rape than the risk of its punishment.Furthermore, there is the fact that women have always been perceived as
the weaker vessel, and so have been subjugated and oppressed by culture
in most African societies.
The culture is defined by inequality and the subjugation of the female folk.
Forms of gender-based violence, including rape, domestic violence and
other sexual abuses, have assumed serious dimensions globally.
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other
forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without that person’s
consent.The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or
against a person who is incapable of giving valid consent, such as one who is
unconscious, incapacitated, has an intellectual disability or is below the legal age of consent.
forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without that person’s
consent.The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or
against a person who is incapable of giving valid consent, such as one who is
unconscious, incapacitated, has an intellectual disability or is below the legal age of consent.
The issue of rape is not an abstract issue as it has unveiled its ugly mask in every society, and how do we describe the brutal nature of this shameless
masquerade in Africa, especially in Nigeria? What could have triggered the
increase in recent times? What could have caused perpetrators to sexually
assault their victims?
masquerade in Africa, especially in Nigeria? What could have triggered the
increase in recent times? What could have caused perpetrators to sexually
assault their victims?
This article was originally published by Legalpedia
