Rape incidents alarming, under-reported – Expert

Dr Kemi Ademola-Aremu, a Gender Activist, on Wednesday incidents of rape are alarming and under-reported in the country.

She also described as worrisome the non-availability of correct statistics on rape cases in Oyo State.

Ademola-Aremu, the Executive Director, Choice Solution Welfare Initiative International (CSWII), made this known to our reporter in Ibadan.

She noted that rape incidences were underreported despite its high prevalence in Oyo state.

She said that in spite of the hues and cries about rape and other acts of domestic violence against the girl-child and women, possible stigmatisation had prevented victims from reporting their ordeals.

“Because of the stigma placed on the victims it had become increasingly difficult to come out and report rape cases.

“Even when cases are reported to relevant government agencies, such are not bothered to document them.

“The government, hospitals, police and other stakeholders should be more proactive in reporting and documenting rape cases.

“Kudos should be given to the Federal Government for promulgating the Child Rights Act of 2003, which many states of the federation have domesticated.

“But a lot still needs to be done in the area of getting required and effective statistics on rape incidences,” the director said.

According to her, in the US, they use a formula to calculate rape incidence based on the reported cases and they came up with a statistics of “one in five’’.

She said that such formula could be used by stakeholders in Nigeria, adding that there is urgent need to create such statistics.

Ademola-Aremu disclosed that her NGO had started generation of data on rape and would soon publish same.

She appealed to all stakeholders to collaborate on efforts to report rape incidents and in generating relevant data for record purposes.