Stakeholders Seek Awareness Campaigns To Curtail SEA, H, SGBV Cases

By Ekanem ASUQUO 

Stakeholders battling the disturbing rate of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment around educational institutions and workplaces have advocated for massive enlightenment campaigns to sensitize the populace against the menace.

According to them, such aggressive campaigns have become imperative to educate the vulnerable population of existing legislations meant to checkmate such excesses.

Speaking in Calabar during an interview with journalists, Chairperson of Network To Sexual Abuse NETCUSA, Comrade Ukeme Ekong stressed that such a step would go a long way in curtailing incidences by arming the masses with the necessary information needed to tackle the issue.

Ekong averred that "The challenge at hand is that most of our people are not even aware of this and this promotes the culture of silence thereby encouraging them to continue in their dastardly acts."

"Here in Cross River, we have the VAPP Law 2021 and Child Right Law 2023 enacted to eliminate violence in private and public environments, provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims as well as punishments for offenders. There's also the family court designed to fast-track the dispensation of justice on the issue at stake, information on the matter is vital."

Also speaking, the state coordinator, of the Association of NGOs Working with Orphans and Vulnerable Children (AOON), Asi Archibong opined that awareness campaigns need to be extended to the hinterlands where sexual abuses and exploitations are prevalent to stem the increase.

Asi maintained " We need to scale up the level of awareness with regards to available legal means to protect the vulnerable population and prosecute offenders. Such awareness will also serve as a deterrent to potential culprits."

Asi posited that "creating awareness is key to spreading the clear message of zero tolerance for all forms of violence against women and girls. It's also key to informing victims of their rights and the support services available to them."

In her reaction, the gender focal officer, Ministry of Health, Cross River State, Felicia Ayim said plans are underway for a massive enlightenment exercise across the three senatorial districts as a means of scaling up efforts targeted at tackling sexual exploitations, abuse, harassment and all forms of gender-based violence.