2020 will always be remembered for the global pandemic that brought the world to a standstill and saw the commonization of words such as lock-down, sanitize, social distancing and most certainly the name of the pandemic itself, Corona virus.
While the advent of Covid- 19 meant whole countries faced economic regressions and compulsory lock down, it also meant the shutting down of institutions such as schools at all levels to curb the spread of the viral disease.
Ranked 18th when it comes to having one of the lowest median ages,Nigeria is considered to have one of the youngest populations in the world. Half of the population is aged under 19 years. Data reveals that children aged up to four years old made up the largest age group and similarly, children aged 5 to 9 years held the second largest share of population. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1121317/age-distribution-of-population-in-nigeria-by-gender/
During the forced lock-down, millions of these same group were forced to stay at home as a safety precaution, however, while one pandemic was being curbed another one festered on in thousands of homes. Child sexual abuse.
If 46% of the Nigerian population are children – that is the equivalent of 94 million Nigerian children, over nine million children under the age of eighteen are exposed to sexual violence every year.
The issue of child sexual abuse is a social epidemic that has for too long been an ignored plague that can no longer be overlooked. Serial molestation and rape cases were recorded almost on a a daily basis during the lock-down with slow to no action being taken due to the closure of institutions . In terms of scale, number, and lifelong impact, sexual abuse among children heavily outweighs the pandemic.
Statistics from UNICEF from their The Violence Against Children Survey in 2014 revealed that 1 out of every 3 Nigerian girls experiences sexual abuse before she turns eighteen; while 1 in 10 boys in Nigeria experience sexual violence before they turn eighteen. Two-thirds of these same children who face violence and abuse remain in silence and only 4 out of 100 received any form of support. This study also brought to light that Sadly, more than 70% of these children experience sexual violence not once, but repeatedly. Abuse can go on for days, weeks, months, and sometimes years .
However, these figures spiked during the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic according to reports received at from the various Sexual Assault Referral Centers (SARC) in Nigeria. One of which exists at the Mirabel Centre, which caters to survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV).Data collected at the center since the Covid-19 lock-down reveals that a 10% increase in child abuse with abuse varying from physical, mental, emotional, sexual abuse, child labor, neglect of children, maltreatment, and economic abuses.
Prior and during the lock-down, minors have been targeted for sexual abuse, predominantly by men, particularly children between 11 and 15 years who are just coming into puberty. The most devastating effect on children is the possible long term impact on their emotional, psychological, physical, and mental health; including exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, and unwanted pregnancies for girls. Many of these same children refuse to speak out because they do not know where to go to, or fear the realization of threat to their lives and their loved ones. Stigma and silence have become a culture that leave many of them traumatized for years.
With the continuous “surge” in Child Sexual Abuse cases, Anneozeng Ogozi Aid Foundation created the Sexual Abuse Prevention and Education for Kids (SAPEK) School Tour program that is centered on sensitizing children across these affected age groups on how to speak up, stay alert and lend their voices in the fight against sexual abuse. The ease on the lock-down has allowed for quick action by the foundation to mitigate this social epidemic in Nigeria.
Since the tail end of 2020, AOA Foundation has carried out sensitization in Abuja, Cross River, Niger and Kogi states reaching over 3000 children in both primary and secondary schools. SAPEK sessions hope to stop this dehumanizing act against minors and equip them with the right knowledge to empower others as well. These sessions have also allowed children ask questions pertaining their rights as children and encouraged other conversations on gender norms that help enlighten children on the importance of equality and equity.
At AOA Foundation, we are convinced that SAPEK can play its part in ending the vicious cycle of abuse and violence against children.