Fathers guilty in most of 80 Anambra rape cases

Of the over 80 rape cases reported in Anambra State since the COVID-19 lockdown, father have accounted for most of the cases. The state director of Child Welfare Services in the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Mrs Nkechi Anazodo, revealed this on Monday.

Anazodo was speaking at Isuaniocha in Awka North council of the state during the flag-off of a child protection sensitisation campaign supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

She said the situation necessitated the 10-day statewide campaign by UNICEF and the Ministry in  the 21 local government areas of the state.

She said other organisations involved in the campaign were the National Population Commission (NPC) and National Orientation Agency (NOA).

“Sexual violence,” she said, “has become the order of the day, especially during this period of lockdown.

“Even old men now rape children of 12 years and below. The problem we have is that people don’t report. Last week, a case was brought to us of a 70-year-old man that raped a four-year-old child.

“Before the lockdown, we had only 32 cases of rape in the Ministry, but the figure recorded within the last few months is over 80.

“It is unfortunate that some men have left their wives to be having sexual relationship with children less than five years.

“The most worrisome is that some fathers raped their daughters more during the lockdown. In many cases, fathers who rape their daughters threaten to kill them if they report. The problem is that many people don’t report these cases because they feel that the victim might be stigmatised.

“That is why we are going round the 21 local government areas of the state to create awareness on this problem.”

“The state government has created a place called ‘task sexual assault centre’ at the Engwu-Ukwu General Hospital purposely for treating rape victims.”