VHF ADMONISHES PARENTS TO SHUN ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION(ADR) ON DEFILEMENT CASES.

Virgin Heart Foundation 2019

Published by Peace Dike  · lNove6mbeSpo8r n19tioh, 200e1976af  ·

PARENTS WHOSE WARDS OR CHILDREN WERE IN THE PAST VIOLATED BY AN ADULT, SHOULD AS A MATTER OF RESPONSIBILITY ENSURE JUSTICE FOR THEIR WARDS.

ISSUE OF ADR USUALLY SURFACE DURING CASES AS CRITICAL AND CRIMINAL AS SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND DEFILEMENT OF CHILDREN.

MANY CASES OF DEFILEMENT REPORTED TO OUR OFFICE, WERE ABANDONED DUE TO ALTERNATIVE COURT SETTLEMENT OR WHAT THEY FAMILY KIND OF SETTLEMENT THROUGH FINANCIAL MEANS OR EXCHANGE.

I HAD WONDERED WHY MOST FAMILIES WOULD STOOP SO LOW TO EXCHANGE THEIR DAUGHTERS PAINS WITH MONEY. I UNDERSTAND POVERTY PLAYS A LOT OF TRICKS ON THE RATIONALE OF SOME PEOPLE.

SOCIO-CULTURAL NORMS, TRADITION, CULTURE AND PATRIARCHY ARE ALSO FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN POWERING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS, THEREFORE SUBDUE CHANCES OF SURVIVORS FROM ACCESSING JUSTICE, ALL IN THE NAME OF SETTLING VIOLENCE IN A TRADITIONAL WAY.

IMO STATE IS YET TO HAVE A LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR ADJUDICATING CASES OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN/GIRLS

BELOW IS OUR EXPERIENCE:

VHF CALLED THE MOTHER OF THIS TWO YEAR OLD BABY(WHO WAS DEFILED IN MGBIDI, ORU WEST LGA) IMO STATE TO ENQUIRE IF THE PERPETRATOR HAS BEEN RELEASED BY THE POLICE, SHE SHAMELESSLY CONFIRMED THE RELEASE OF A MAN WHO SEXUALLY ABUSED HER TWO YEAR OLD BABY.I AND BARRISTER NWANDO BEGGED THE PARENTS OF THIS TWO YEAR OLD BABY, TO APPEAR IN COURT AT MGBIDI MAGISTRATE COURT, THEY REFUSED BUT CHOOSE TO SHUTDOWN THE CASE.TODAY THE RAPIST IS MOVING AROUND A FREE MAN..SEXUAL VIOLENCE INTERVENTION HAS LOTS OF CONSTRAINTS, MOST OFTEN FINANCIAL LIMITATIONS AND NON COMPLIANCE FROM VICTIMS/COMPLAINANTS .