Why rape is on the increase – mothers

Lagos – Some mothers on Wednesday blamed
the increasing cases of rape witnessed in the
country on the failure of some parents to meet
their responsibilities to their girl children.
Some mothers, they said, had failed in their
duty to properly monitor the actions and
movement of their girl-child.
Mrs Veronica Odogwu, a medical practitioner
and Head of Health, Confraternity of Christian
Mothers, Ijegun, blamed some mothers for
neglecting their responsibilities as mothers to
their gild children.
"As mothers, we need to look inwards; don't
let us entrust our children to the wrong
people.
"And the man who raped the four-year-old,
you'll see that it's a very big problem; if a man
who is supposed to be father himself is raping
a four-year-old, then that type of a man needs
help.
"But if all women can stand up, every mother
looking at every child as her own it will not
happen because if you see a child roaming
aimlessly and not going home or leaving
school, going to other places, you should be
able to correct that child''.
Mrs Chinwe Okoye, a teacher at Queens
College, Lagos and a mother of six girls,
advised young girls to be smart at saying no to
men, irrespective of how close, (the men) were
to them.
"It's pathetic, it's disheartening, I feel very
bad. It is something that I don't understand
where they get the guts to do that.
"It is a thing of the mind for an adult to be
able to rape a minor. I t's terrible.
"I think the best thing is one, we inculcate into
the children no matter how small and tender
the spirit of saying `no'.
"Stop seeing people as uncle, they are what
they are, in your home; make sure you tell
your girl child to be protective of herself;
don't let people touch you.
"Scream, and don't stay in tight corners in a
room; don't trust them so much, and once
they begin to make overtures.
"And they tell you they will kill you if you talk,
don't trust them, don't believe them, talk
because they can't really kill you; your parents
will protect you.
"You give your girl child a lot of confidence,
that way they will know whom they are.
"And they won't allow themselves to be lured
into dangerous corners by those miscreants; of
course, that's what I call them''.
Mrs Francisca Obasuyi, President, Catholic
Women Organisation of Nigeria, Saints Joachim
and Anne, Ijegun, Lagos, appealed to mothers
to teach their daughters decent dress code.
"I see it as irresponsibility on the side of men
but at the same time, we women have our own
fault.
"Because some of us that are women dress
nude outside; then if you dress half naked
outside, what do you teach your daughters?
"Some us, we see our daughters dress half
naked, they come from home and they leave
from the home to outside and these mothers
see them and we don't correct them.
"And then what do you expect? They are the
ones who provoke the men so to say. So the
mothers are to be blamed and we mothers
should try and turn a new leaf''.
A coordinator in a skill acquisition centre, Mrs
Eugenia Okafor, noted that child labour
exposed young girls as easy prey for rape.
"The problem can be solved when mothers take
care of their children; this issue of child
labour is rampant.
"Mothers should take care of those children;
keep them, secure them because when a child
is exposed to go and sell, go and buy, they
may fall prey to these rapists.
"But the mothers should keep them; you know
they are so precious, you guide them''.
According to them, if adequate precautions are
taken by all stakeholders, cases of rape can be
checked. (NAN)