6th April, 2017
Mrs Chinyere Eyoh, Executive Director, Sexual Offences Awareness and Victims Rehabilitation (SOAR) Initiative, says the group’s advocacy has broken the silence on sexual abuse among 4,409 girls and 960 boys in the FCT.
Eyoh said in Abuja on Thursday that 258 girls and 50 boys with special needs were also sensitised to break the silence of child sexual abuse and encourage disclosures.
She said the advocacy enhanced response to sexual violations against public secondary school girls in Kuje and AMAC.
According to her, it also strengthens the linkage between public school management, justice service institutions and community support services.
“Since the launch in 2016, this gender based project achieved within the six months assigned for the project, from 4,409 girls reached, 272 girls signed up for counseling on sexual abuse and other related issues.
“Fifty one out of the 272 girls broke the silence and disclosed sexual abuse in their past, but eight of this number revealed ongoing sexual abuse.
“303 girls including 27 visually impaired and 46 hearing impaired girls were trained as peer educators and advocates against child sexual abuse in each of the project schools.
“Girls clubs were also created as safe spaces in all the project schools,’’ Eyoh said.
She said 23 guidance counselors, teachers and 29 gender unit staff of FCT Education secretariat, principals, parents and police were trained to effectively handle and respond to cases of child sexual abuse.
Eyoh also said linkages were created between the 11 project schools and relevant organisations providing access to justice and support for survivors.
She said through the linkage, one of the victims of the on-going abuse was removed from the abusive environment to a shelter and the perpetrator placed under custody with the police, awaiting prosecution.
Eyoh said tools were developed for schools and trained peer educators to help address the sexual abuse of in-school children in the FCT.
“This project did not only benefit the targeted primary beneficiaries who now developed boldness to speak out against sexual abuse and still actively enjoying the safe spaces provided by the clubs but also the schools and caregivers whose capacities have been built to better respond to cases of sexual abuse.
“The schools and Education Authorities in the FCT now have a set of Guidelines, developed by SOAR which spells out how to respond to reports or suspicions of sexual abuse in schools in the FCT.’’
Eyoh said this guideline which was not in existence before had been adopted and used in the project schools.
However, she advised parents, teachers and guardians on increase sexual education for the girl child.
“Parents need to realise that inasmuch as the economy is biting hard, more attention needs to be paid to their children or else they will have none to hand over the wealth they are amassing today.
“Parents need to be very protective, observant and have a high index of suspicion for people that are allowed access to their children,’’ she said.
Eyoh urged the media, religious bodies and NGOs to educate the public and train stakeholders involved on their responsibilities in protecting our children from sexual abuse.