Keep up the fight against sex pests

The recent spate of defilement cases in the country is alarming.

According to a 2008-09 Government survey, one in five women and girls are victims of rape. These cases are rarely reported due to stigma and lack of faith in the justice system, although there are strong laws against sexual assault.

Innocent children have fallen victim of sex pests. What have they done to deserve such treatment?

To make matters worse, the perpetrators do not just defile but some even go ahead and kill the victims.

The situation is worse when it is a relative who does the heinous act.

Pregnancies arising from such acts are always a reminder to the victim of the horrendous act they went through, and have to live with for the rest of their lives. This is in addition to the psychological trauma they have to face from the ever-judgmental society.

Police rarely investigate defilement cases to their final conclusion unless witnesses are produced. Where will a raped victim get a witness when it was done in a secluded location? Because of this, perpetrators know they can commit crimes, especially against innocent children, without fear of being prosecuted.

Women, it is time to speak out. Let us not be silent. Let us fight against this vice. Let your voices be heard.

We have made great strides against violence perpetrated against us and we should not allow the gains made to go to waste.

The Sexual Offences Act of 2006 should be used to get justice for defilement victims. Section 3(3) which states thus: “A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable, upon conviction, to imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than 10 years but may be enhanced to imprisonment for life”.

This is the penalty that each rape culprit must face.