Worried by the incessant child sexual abuse in the country, children have been advised not to allow anyone touch their bodies, especially their private parts and should quickly call attention whenever there is such a move.
Founder and Project Co-ordinator of Christianah Fate Foundation, Mrs. Christianah Akindolie, said this at free child workshop entitled, “Child Sexual Abuse Awareness and Prevention” held in Lagos.
The workshop organised by Christianah Fate Foundation, a Non -Governmental Organisation, was attended by parents, teachers, journalists, child advocacy groups, security agents while resource persons from legal and medical fields were on ground to educate participants on Child Sexual Abuse, CSA.
Akindolie who spoke on the topic: “Child Sexual Abuse, a Silent Epidemic” said child sexual abuse is eating deep into the society and people hardly speak about it because of fear of stigmatisation.
She defined child sexual abuse as any activity that takes place between an adult and a child, a teenager and a child, an older child and a child, which a child cannot fully understand nor give consent to.
She said that it is confirmed that one of every three girls and one of every six boys will have experienced one form of sexual abuse before attaining the age of 18 even as she listed abuse of other children, promiscuity, homosexuality, masturbation, suicide, sleeplessness among others as effects of child sexual abuse.
The inspirational speaker and author of Child Sexual Abuse –A Handbook for Children, urged the media as a powerful tool in curbing child sexual abuse, to develop story lines, images, cartoons, programmes that promote sexual health attitudes in children.
On how to prevent child sexual abuse, Mrs. Akindolie advised parents to get education on CSA, teach their children defensive skills (touch & secrets), report any abuse, know their children’s friends and not to trust anyone one with their children.
Speaking on “The Role of Security Agents in Child Sexual Abuse”, Barrister Abiye Tam-George stated that when sexual abuse occurs, it involves other forms of abuse such as emotional, physical and neglect.
Giving legal implications on CSA, the Child Rights consultant noted that sections 357, 359, 360 of the Criminal Code, provide for the definition of rape, punishment for rape, attempted rape and indecent assault on females.