Sexual offences: FOMWAN recommends separate room for children, adults
NAN-HG-4
Children
By Martha Agas
Jos, Dec. 14, 2016 (NAN) The Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) has advised mothers and guardians to separate children’s rooms from adults in order to reduce sexual offences in the society.
Mrs Mairo Sani, the Amirah of FOMWAN, Plateau Chapter, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Jos.
She said separate rooms ensured children were not affected by sexual relations of parents, thus discouraging the desire to explore such practice.
“I advise mothers and guardians to ensure they have separate rooms from their children so that the children are not affected by their sexual relation and may not attempt to practice with their siblings or anyone.
“Such children may grow up with sexual scenes imprinted on their minds and would like to practice with people around, even forcefully, thus increasing the number of child rape and sexual offences bedevilling the society; it is psychological,’’ she said.
The official also advised mothers to observe their children’s movements and association with people in order to check any form of odd behaviour or conduct.
She said children, especially the girl-child, should be properly taken care of to prevent them falling prey to rapists and other child abusers.
“Girls sent to hawk are more susceptible to child rape because they are exposed to all manner of people.
“The items sent to hawk may not even be up to N100, but these girls may be paid more than that and violated at the same time.
“It is sad, because they may be just five years old,” she said.
Sani cautioned that scenes of child sexual offences should not be tampered with as evidence needed to prosecute culprits may be lost.
She advised that victims be taken straight to the police or to the Child Protection Network (CPN) office; saying they would be attended to without any financial burden.
“The network, whose objective is to protect the child from violence of all forms and ensure their well being, will conduct their analysis, take the victim to the hospital for treatment and ensure justice,” she said.
She lauded the strict punishment enacted for child offenders, saying it will reduce the number of cases in the society.
NAN reports that the CPN in Plateau is currently following up on 50 cases of child sexual offences reported from January to date. (NAN)
MAA/MAS/MST
Edited by Moses Solanke/Muhammad Suleiman Tola