RAPE: Stand up, break the culture of silence… NAWOJ tells Nigerians

0
171
Reading Time: 2 minutes

10 June 2020 

The Nigeria society has been tasked to shun the prevailing culture of silence when it has to do with the issues surrounding rape NEGROIDHAVEN can say authoritatively. 

The directive was dished out today by the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) in Calabar the Cross River State capital city.
Umo Basi-Edet the Chair of NAWOJ in Cross River, while addressing a section of journalists in the state capital, she said 'My advice to everyone is that we must stand up and break the culture of silence. That is what is killing us. 
'Before now nobody talked about it, we just kept silent; you get raped, you die in silence. Maybe for fear of stigmatisation. You don't want to be stigmatised. So nobody talks about it. Your husband rapes your daughter, your step daughter, you try to cover up, why? 
'We must break the culture of silence. Everybody should wake up, everybody should take it as a responsibility. If your neighbour's daughter is been raped, raise an alarm immediately.' Basi-Edet said. 
NAWOJ embarked on an advocacy walk as a way of lending its voice in support of current national opprobrium against the social malaise called rape. The walk began from the Millennium Park and moved at the Governor's Office where Dr Innocent Eteng, Permanent Secretary Governor's Office received the group and assured the group that the State Government being a responsible government will craft policies to militate against the social malady. 

Dr Eteng said 'The Cross River State Government is poised to eradicate this kind of vice in the society. War against rape. Want to commend this struggle and to assure you that as a responsible government we are going to work with you and ensure that legislations are passed formally that will eradicate this kind of molestation'.

NAWOJ then proceeded to the Office of the Speaker of the 9th Cross River State House of Assembly (CRSHA) in furtherance of preaching her advocacy message against the gruesome act of rape.
Brandished placard at the venue featured the following —'Mankind is in danger', 'a real man never rapes', 'every one hour rape happens', 'rape is a crime against humanity', 'our dressing is not a sign for rape', 'NAWOJ says no to rape', 'rapists are not human beings', etc.