Idongesit Ashameri, Uyo
Call
it epidemic, devilish invention or whatever may be found suitable. The inhuman
act of sexual abuse on under aged female children, babies and even infants has
succeeded in registering a huge presence in this era and very rapidly gaining
momentum.
For
parents with female children, time to be alert and begin to protect the girl
child against seeming predators that are beginning to see the girl child who
are invariably toddlers as their targets.
Sexual
abuse harms a minor physically, psychologically, sexually, and even mentally as
such crime against the child can have lasting effects on the victim for years.
Child
sexual abuse does not need to include physical contact between a perpetrator
and a child. Some forms of child sexual abuse cut across Exhibitionism, or
exposing oneself to a minor, Fondling, Intercourse, Masturbation in the
presence of a minor or forcing the minor to masturbate, Obscene phone calls,
text messages, or digital interaction Producing, owning, or sharing
pornographic images or movies of children.
Regretably,
many cases of child abuse are carried out by close family members such as
uncles, neighbours, stepfathers and even fathers. Some of such victims may as
well be subjected to physical attack if any form of resistance is demonstrated.
While
some victims of sexual abuse may have had only the lost hymen and the
psychologically effect of such a traumatic encounter to worry about, with
minimal physical evidence of abuse, Victory Akpan, an orphan who has been
sexually abused by her guardian Mr Emmanuel Okon from the age of ten could not
escape such abuses without much physical evidence of permanent harm.
Having
abused the girl who was brought into his house by his girlfriend whose name was
simply given as Stella, for about five years, Okon later decided to bring along
five others, and all six mercilessly descended on their victim in a single
outing.
An
internal/ external growth of Warts which protroded out of her private part made
it both difficult for Victory to walk, sit or even intermingle with people as
the stench from the decaying part of the body severely complicated her misery,
in addition to the trauma of multiple sexual abuses.
Explaining
her ordeals in the hands of her guardian, Mr Emmanuel Okon, the 15 year old
Victory Akpan who spoke with our correspondent from her hospital bed at the
Family Life Center and Visco-Vaginal Fistula (VVF) Hospital, Mbribit Itam, Uyo,
Akwa Ibom State where she has so far gone through two surgeries to remove the
warts, said she first had the warts protruding through her private part after
being raped by six men in one day.
Her
words "I am from Obubra in Cross River State, my aunty, Kokomma Ikotidem,
after the death of my father, when i was ten years of age, brought me to Aunty
Stella, a dancer who took me to her boyfriend's house. My Madam was not always
around as she could go out for her dancing job for five days. From the first
week of my getting there, my master started raping me, even when I was still
very young. Each time I reported to my madam, she would shout me down,
querrying if I was sure of what I was saying".
"The
last one which led to this growth in my private part, he came home with five
other men who lived in the neighborhood; Life, Effiok, Ekpo, Monday, Akan and
himself, they all overpowered me and took turns to have sex with me. The next
day, my body started itching me, I told my madam about it and she refused to do
anything, few days later, this warts came out of my body, when I started
smelling, my madam and the boyfriend pushed me out of the house".
Victory
who had lost the mum long before the father who died five years ago, said the
only thing she could think of was to involve the police as no one was willing
to help her. The report to the Anti Kidnapping Squad, Ikot Akpan Abia led to an
initial arrest of Okon who was later released on bail.
After
roaming the street and avoided by everyone she got in contact with for months,
and scared she was dying, Victory, despite her inability to walk, trekked all
the way from Itu to Ibagwa Army Barracks, Abak, to further report her guardian
to a Military Officer who called and handed her over to the Divisional Police
Officer (DPO) in charge of Abak.
Emmanuel
Okon and one of his partners in crime, Mr Effiok Etim Archibong, according to
the Police Public Relations Officer, Akwa Ibom State command, DSP Chukwu
Ikechukwu were arrested and charged to court.
The
police spokesperson said efforts were also being made to save the girl through
operations, while working out modality to find a home for her on discharge from
the hospital.
Lamenting
over the prevalence of child abuse in the state, the Officer in Charge of
Family Unit, Ikot Akpan Abia, Supol Shulammite Otokpa threatened to ensure that
no child molester is spared as such ones would be caught with the long arm of
the law.
She
regretted that her unit has received and treated not less than 80 reports of
child rape in less than one year and warned men to rechannel their sexual urges
to adult as such ugly appitite against underaged children would no longer be
tolerated.
Also
speaking with our correspondent, the Matron in charge of the Visco-Vaginal
Fistula (VVF) Hospital, Sr. Sylvia Ndubuaka said the rate of child rape in the
state has become alarming as the hospital treats not less than three cases
resulting from child rape every week.
Referring
to Victory's case, the Reverend Sister said such cases, though rare, was one of
such extreme calamities that underaged rape victims are subjected to. She
related an experience of a three year old rape victim whose private part was
torn into the anus and completely destroyed beyond repairs.
While
assuring of Victory's fast recuperation after the surgeries, she called on
either the Akwa Ibom State government or any public spirited individual to come
to her aid by proposing her with a home to move into, as the victim who was due
for discharge from the hospital, could not point to any relation to go back to.
Ndubuaka
who frowed that most victims of child rape were tested positive to HIV, called
for a more severe penalty against child rape to serve as deterrent to others
who may be contemplating the crime she said has severe physical and psychological
effect on children.
"It
is becoming very rampant these days. We have treated a child as young as one,
two, three years and so on. No age limit! Its worrisome and there has to be
some more severe measures to curb this manace because most of the victims are
destroyed physically, mentally, emotionally and psychologically". She said
While
calling on parents whose children have been sexually abused to avoid hiding
such cases, she reported that the VVF Family Care Unit is also equipped with
facilities for rehabilitation and training to equip rape victims with basic
skills before reintegrating them to the society with some start up funds.
She
used the occasion to announce a third free Vesico Vigina Fistula/ Recto Vagina
Fistula (VVF/RVF) repairs (leakage of urine and faeces due to injuries acquired
during child birth). Surgeries to be commenced on August 6, 2017 at Family Life
Center and VVF unit, Mbribit Itam, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
The
Rev. Sister who assured members of the public that both surgeries and medications
after surgeries are free, however called for donations from willing members of
the public to enable the center keep on with such free interventions in future.
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