Agency
The Nigeria Police in Borno State have decried the alarming rate at which sexual and gender-based violence cases, especially rape, were being withdrawn by victims’ relatives from court and called for stringent laws to stop such moves.
The Deputy Commissioner of Police in Borno, DCP Ahmad Bello, stated this call in Maiduguri, the Bornu state capital, in his contribution at a stakeholders’ consultative meeting on Enhancing Gender-Responsive Security Operations and Community Dialogue, organised by UN Women in collaboration with the Borno Ministry of Women Affairs.
He said, “Another major thing that needs to be addressed is the culture of silence and stigmatisation of rape and other sexual violence victims.
”We have seen instances where a sexual violence case is progressing, prosecutors will get court affidavits from victims’ relations saying they want to withdraw the case.
”Such intentions to withdraw have to do with fear of stigmatisation.
”In many instances, the victims want justice but are put in a dilemma by their relations.”
Bello called for laws to keep requests for withdrawal of the cases under key for some period of time to enable the victim to finally decide on the matter.
He urged UN Women and other stakeholders to sponsor a bill to address some of the loopholes slowing the fight against sexual and gender-based violence in society.
NAN
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