Ochanya, game-changer in child abuse cases
The death of Benue schoolgirl Ochanya Ogbanje about a month ago caused outrage across the country, with people from all walks of life lending their voices to the matter. They all asked that those behind her death be arrested and made to face the law. It was not just the fact that a 12-year-old girl died that attracted the attention of Nigerians, but the gruesome manner through which she died. Ochanya, a junior secondary school girl of the Federal Government College, Gboko died from health complications caused by many years of abuse.
She was abused by her uncle and his son. It was not the only child abuse case in the country but this episode reawakened the consciousness of Nigerians to an issue which can no longer be ignored. Recently, cases of child molestation have been on the increase, with fathers being the perpetrators in some cases. No sex is spared as male children are also victims. A recent report by Daily Trust revealed that over 100 children were abused in a spate of six months and that is the reported figure. There are many that are neither reported nor documented.
This ugly trend has caused parents to review a practice that has always been part of us, the idea of sending children to live with relatives. This is because most victims are abused by people who are close to them or people that they trusted. There is a need to beam a searchlight on this alien practise so that it can be tackled head on. The safety of children is paramount and any society that cannot protect its young ones has failed. Moreso, children are the future of the country and no nation can develop with a scarred generation. It is not enough to have laws, implementation is key. Many times people are paraded. In fact, some of them even confess to the crime, but nothing comes out of it. All those arrested for molestation should be punished accordingly to serve as a deterrent to others.
The security agents can assist schools to print fliers or handbooks on tips to guard the little children so that they will know when they are in danger and what to do to avert it. Security needs to be beefed up in schools and places of worship as some cases recorded were said to have occurred in such places. Hawking is another way through which children are exposed to abuse. Parents/ guardians need to be mindful of where they send their children to, to hawk and the age should be put into consideration. Caregivers have a role to play in stemming this tide; they have to be very vigilant so that they can know when there is a problem and draw the attention of the child’s parents or relevant authourities to it.
Furthermore, the identities of abused children must be protected at all times, to avoid stigmatisation. And it is only when they are sure of such protection that abused persons can speak up. Aside arrest of culprits, the authourities need to consider some sort of counselling for victims to help them manage the trauma.