THE INCREASING CASES OF RAPE IN OUR SOCIETY

Pick up any of the major national dailies and you will never fail to see one or two reported cases of rape. It has become a fact that in recent times the cases of rape are just escalating. But curiously nobody seems to be raising an eyebrow over it. Often the security agents (who by the way are actually among the chief perpetrators) treat it with utter levity; as a nuisance or private matter. The claim is often that there is no evidence; it is the victim’s word against the perpetrator’s. But we know that the police see only what it is looking for, what it chooses to see. Often the victim and her loved ones are left to bear the shame, cost of treatment and justice (if any) alone.

  Even the cases that make it to the court are often handled with kid gloves by the judiciary who grant bail to the perpetrators at laughable conditions (if any) and hand the convicted ones ridiculously light sentences. This has emboldened those with such evil minds that they can always get away with the crime, hence the escalating instances of rape in our society.

 Let us bear in mind however that the woman is God’s greatest gift to man. She should therefore be treasured cared for and protected, not violated and humiliated at will. Any offence against her especially rape which is the greatest crime against a woman’s dignity ought to be taken seriously and the perpetrator (s) brought to book at all cost. This is actually the practice in the western society which understands and upholds women’s dignity and rights; hence cases of rape are given almost equal attention as cases of murder.

 But the fundamental question that still begs an answer is what is the root cause of this increasing proclivity to violate women? The answer may be found in the words of Pope John Paul || who said, ‘When men forget about God they become degraded, and this is first noticed in the sexual (female) body. It is now becoming agreed that any commercial material that does not contain a sexy lady or talk about sex cannot draw attention or sell. Name them- adverts (no matter the goods), movies, songs, magazines poster, etc. The result is that the society has become sexually charged as people’s minds are constantly bombarded with sexual images and their thought kept perpetually on sex. The ladies are now given the false impression by the fashion world that they have to dress seductively to look beautiful. Sex and sexual escapades are discussed openly and freely and even encouraged Even pornography has become so accessible and on the increase.

 When a man has no formal foundation or compass, who has been impressed with all these things and is perpetually fantasizing about sex meets a lady in a secluded place, what will happen? He will most likely have little or no hesitation in taking advantage of her by sexually defiling her. The most painful aspect of these perpetrators often don’t even differentiate between minors and adults and even relations. (Many of the recent cases of rape we read in the news involved minors). And mind you, rape is easily the most under- reported crime in our society because of the stigma that goes with it. So with these increasingly reportedly cases you can imagine the magnitude of the unreported hidden ones.

  We can’t continue to leave like this in a civilized world. All hands must be on deck to halt this devilish crime that strikes at the very heart of human dignity. The law/policy makers, security forces and judiciary must start giving priority attention and grave seriousness to this issue of rape. It shows moral numbness (and vey culpable) to wait until people (women) take to the streets in protest (as they have done in some areas) before the government begins to act.

  Then also, it’s high time we went back and rebuilt the shattered moral fabric of our society especially as regards sex. We need to go back to God who created sex. We need to teach and remind ourselves constantly …that sex is sacred, not a sport or thing of fun. We need to re-orientate our children on the sense of sin and human dignity. This has to begin from the families to the schools and the society in general. The parents, teachers and indeed every adult should be a role model to the kids around him. Always know that your life style and your speech affect other person because they are being observed and copied by those around you.

  Finally we need to tone down the sexual charge of the society so as to take people’s mind (especially youths) off sex or at least diminish the great interest in it. The ladies must begin to dress decently to avoid sending the wrong signal of availability to men. Indeed real beauty is tested in decency. You can be decent and yet gorgeous and beautiful and even sexy without being seductive. The print media and entertainment industry must shed the idea that without enough sexual content a video, song, newspaper or magazine will not sell much. That can only be true of a video, music or print that lacks creativity and quality. It is an evident fact that once a video is educative and engaging, it sells easily. 

 They must help us by reducing the number and explicitness of the sexual contents (which they euphemistically call adult content as if that deters the young from watching them) of their products. The parents, teachers, authors, and religious leaders must not tire in playing their part of inculcating the virtues of sexual discipline and decency on those in their charges, both by words and deeds. When all these are done and sustained, and counting on God’s grace, all will be well again with our society.