A civil rights advocate, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has attributed the high rate of sexual exploitation in tertiary institutions in Nigeria to the absence of justice for victims of the crime.
The executive director of CISLAC and Transparency International, Nigeria, Mr. Auwal Rafsanjani, stated this at a stakeholders’ consultative forum on sexual exploitation in tertiary institutions in Nigeria held yesterday in Abuja.
He also said the refusal of victims to speak out due to perceived distrust in the University system was also aiding the menace.
Rafsanjani said sexual crimes are mostly committed by high profile individuals in the schools.
CISLAC which also launched an electronic channel, TIMBY, a platform for reporting cases of sexual exploitation and where victims could pursue psychological support and redress, lamented increasing cases of girls and women being extorted when requesting basic services such as medication, positions or good grades at school or universities.
He observed that many students are not aware of their fundamental rights, noting that as such, they cannot tell when it is violated or know where to go seeking redress.
“The fear of stigmatization by society which is very common and the fact that perpetrators are mostly high profile individuals who are either lecturers or non-academic staff who have some level of influence or power within the institution and the society makes a lot of victims reluctant to report or speak out.
“There is distrust for the system, they are unsure if they will get justice or the necessary redress.”
Rafsanjani stressed the need for all Nigerians especially victims of sexual exploitation to understand their rights and also speak out.
He also urged school managements, anti-corruption agencies and other relevant institutions of government to exhibit transparency and integrity towards putting mechanisms in place for addressing the issue.
Also speaking, CISLAC’s legal officer, Bathsheba Tagwai, disclaimed the notion that females are the only victims of sextortion.
He contended that there are situations even though not so prevalent where males have been victims.
