Researchers working on the Global Affairs Canada landscape analysis on sexual and gender-based violence in Oyo state have found high rate of rape in Iseyin and Ogbomoso communities.
The team of experts which has Oyo State Coordinator for the UNFPA-GAC survey, Dr Adebimpe Adenugba, the Gender Reproductive Health Analyst of UNFPA, Dr Esther Somefun, Drs O.B Babalola, O.K Oyelade and Usman Ojedokun reported that drugs and alcohol consumption contribute to gender based violence in rural and rural-urban communities of the state than in urban areas.
According to them, women in interior communities of Oyo State suffer high level of rape, assault, abuse among other vices.
These were part of a preliminary report submitted to the Oyo state Ministry of Health at the Exit/Validation meeting with stakeholders on Global Affairs Canada Landscape Analysis on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Harmful Traditional Practices and Obstetrics Fistula in the state.
Funded by Global Affairs Canada, the research was executed by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Sokoto, Bauchi and Oyo States.
Although the GAC LGAs in the state are Ogbomosho West, Oyo South, Ibadan North, Kajola and Ibarapa North West the UNFPA-GAC survey was carried out in 11 council areas including: Saki East, Itesiwaju, Iseyin, Surulere and Iwajowa.
Others are: Afijio, Ibadan North, Ibadan South West, Oluyole, Egbeda and Ibadan North East.
State Coordinator for the UNFPA-GAC survey, Dr Adebimpe Adenugba revealed that women reported not enjoying any form of rights, noting that women reported that their men were not living up to family responsibilities.
She noted that women still continue to face harmful traditional practices
Adenugba also noted that drug and alcoholism were discovered to be in high use which often times lead to the abuse of the women and girls child.
Speaking on the issue of rape in the affected communities, the Gender Reproductive Health Analyst of UNFPA, Dr Esther Somefun said “Yes, they said rape is consistent and is common. Apart from husband raping their wives, there is also child rape, adult rape and elderly rape. They said the children especially are vulnerable because during a period like this with high rate of poverty, they had to send their children hawking, so child labour causes rape. So there’s high rate of rape in Iseyin and Ogbomosho communities”.
Somefun, who also doubles as the Oyo state program officer for GAC project noted that the purpose of the study was to find out the harmful traditional practices and the rate of Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Oyo State, as there is no exclusive data on GBV in Oyo State and country in general, adding that the effort would go a long way in making data available for researchers in subsequent efforts.
She said, “In the immediate, in Oyo State, the VAPP law is in place but is yet to be implemented by the court, and its prohibition acts on all persons. So, if that law can be implemented immediately, there will be a solution and also, we want the government to sensitize the community. Where we reported, it seems these SGBVs are dying down more in the urban than in the rural. But there is still some part of the urban that’s still experiencing it. Where we call the rural-urban like the Beere, Foko side are still experiencing it, but when we talk about the urban, it seems to have gone down a bit”.
“But when government sensitize, let the police do their work. They should not kill cases. They report cases in police stations yet some people ensure it dies down. Religion has a lot to do with this. Religion and cultural practices have been a cover for SGBV. People we spoke to said even some religious leaders also perpetrate this evil. And they use religion to cover a lot of things. So I think religion is the major factor because of this culture of silence and stigma”, she added.
They then called for more sensitisation and enlightenment of the people especially, the male folks in the communities so as to help more women live dignified lives.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Oyo state Ministry of Health, Dr Adebisi Ayoola assures that the government would look into the preliminary report and take immediate measures to address the challenges before the final report would be submitted.
Oyo Sstate Government has been urged to facilitate the immediate and prompt implementation of the Violence Against People Prohibition (VAPP) law as a way of safeguarding women against endemic ill treatment especially in the core rural areas.
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