Sex Exploitation: CISLAC Tasks Victims To Speak Up

By Zakaa Lazarus

Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) on Monday 29 November 2021, has task students to speak up whenever they are sexually exploited.

The center also advocate justice for victims of the crime.

CISLAC also stressed that the refusal of victims to speak out due to perceived distrust in the University system was also aiding the menace.

Speaking in Abuja at a stakeholders consultative forum on sexual exploitation in tertiary institutions in Nigeria, Executive Director, CISLAC, And Transparency of Nigeria, Auwal Rafsanjani, said the crime is mostly committed by high profile individuals in the schools.

At the event, CISLAC launched an electronic channel, TIMBY, a platform for reporting cases of sexual exploitation and where victims could pursue psychological support and redress.

Rafsanjani lamented increasing cases of girls and women being extorted when requesting basic services such as medication, positions or good grades at school or universities.

He observed that many students are not aware of their fundamental rights, noting that as such, they cannot tell when it is violated or know where to go seeking redress.

He said, “The fear of stigmatization by society which is very common and the fact that perpetrators are mostly high profile individuals who are either lecturers or non-academic staff who have some level of influence or power within the institution and the society makes a lot of victims reluctant to report or speak out.

“There is distrust for the system, they are unsure if they will get justice or the necessary redress.”

Rafsanjani stressed the need for all Nigerians especially victims of sexual exploitation to understand their rights and also speak out.

The CISLAC boss urged school management, anti-corruption agencies and other relevant institutions of government to exhibit transparency and integrity towards putting mechanisms in place for addressing the issue.

During her presentation, Olubunmi Olugasa, SA legal to ICPC Chairman, said the Commission is trying to inform the public in order to explain what exactly amount to sexual exploitation, and to also inform the public that ICPC is ready to tackle it as empowered under it’s mandate, hoping that existing partnership will continue to be mutually beneficial so that as the report are received, investigated and prosecuted according to it’s mandate