Need To Dethrone Culture Of Male Dominance In Nigeria
Oladimeji Daniels
Believe it or not, the incidences of rape is on the increase in Nigeria, attended by its latest gruesome feature of murder, which means women are not just being stripped of their dignity, but of their lives as well in a manner devoid of pity and humanity.
Nigeria is a country that is mostly all talk and almost no action and blessed with more than its fair share of hypocrites, some of whom the rape and killing of Uwa in Edo State has unmasked.
In a culture that seems to encourage and promote male superiority and dominance, women would definitely be seen as something to be conquered. It is no secret that this culture is why many continue to push the blame for rape to women. Excuses such as indecent dressing and being led on has given life to the culture of shaming rape victims and forcing them to keep quiet, even while they become psychologically unbalanced and would mostly live like that for the rest of their lives.
These incidences are on the increase daily and laced with so much hypocrisy that even closet rapists are now openly condemning rape.
In places of work, at home and even in places of worship, rape has become that monster that keeps women permanently scared, not just of being debased, but of their lives being cut short. Whether it is a kiss forcefully taken or subtle threats at work for not succumbing to sexual advances, women are constantly being boxed into a corner mentally, so much so that many of them are not being respected for what they bring to the table, but what they can lay on the boss’ table or bed.
Section 357 of the Criminal Code Act states that “Any person who has unlawful carnal knowledge of a woman or a girl, without her consent, or with her consent, if the consent is obtained by force or by means of threats or intimidation of any kind, or by fear of harm, or by means of false and fraudulent representation as to the nature of the act, or, in the case of a married woman, by impersonating her husband, is guilty of an offence which is called rape”. How many women are being threatened with sanctions or dismissal at work just to get them to give in to sex? The perpetrators of this act continue to tell whoever cares that it is not rape.
There are already sufficient laws in place to punish rapists, but laws can only be effective when they are sincerely enforced. For instance, the Criminal Code in Nigeria recommends life imprisonment for rape and 14 years for attempted rape, but evidence shows that less than 30 persons have been convicted of rape in Nigeria’s legal history.
This is partly due to the shaming of rape victims by the society, thus forcing many women to not report incidences of rape. Also, sometimes the rapists are related to their victims. In such cases, a legal issue is turned into a family matter and the need to protect the rapists as family members kicks in and the matter dies down. However, what does not die down is the psychological trauma the rape victim has to silently live with for the rest of her life.
The 2014 National Survey on Violence Against Children in Nigeria showed that one in four women experienced sexual violence during their childhood. Out of the 24.8 percent of women between the ages of 18 and 24 who were sexually abused before the age of 18, only 5 percent sought help and just 3.5 percent got any assistance.
Family members and the society must shun this culture of blaming, shaming or silencing victims. Also, the law must be amended to criminalise rape in marriage as many married women are also being subjected to a patriarchal culture that makes some men punish their wives with rape.
In the country’s North where the penal code is in effect, the age of consent is totally different from what obtains down south and the law even allows a man to beat his wife as long as he does not harm her.
Section 55, subsection 10 of the Penal Code, states that “Nothing is an offence which does not amount to the infliction of grievous harm upon a person and which is done by a husband for the purpose of correcting his wife…”. This simply means that the husband can beat his wife as long as it does not cause serious injuries.
This is not the only law that detracts from the dignity of a woman. There are many of these laws in virtually all sectors of the economy that allow women to be treated as second-class citizens. All these laws must be looked into.
Rape is not an isolated incident. It takes its root in the social structure, legal make-up and the societal complicity of a people. All these must be ideologically rejigged and redirected to emplace a culture that lets men know that women cannot be trampled upon.
Only then can rape be drastically reduced in Nigeria.