Knightingale Women Health Initiative urges parents to give children sex education
By Chima Azubuike
Executive Director of Knightingale Women Health Initiative Lois Yerima, has warned parents not to abdicate the role of sex education in children, adding that it may be taught negatively to the detriment of the child.
Yerima made this disclosure in an interview with our correspondent in Gombe State, shortly after a seminar on Will writing for religious leaders in Kaltungo, Shongom Local Government Areas, supported by ActionAid Nigeria.
She stated that when such role as educating the child sexually was abandoned, the void would be filled by those with destructive intentions.
According to her, “Parents should move close to their children by teaching them sex education,if we don’t teach them sex education as parents people out there will teach them in a negative way that we may all regret it.”
Yerima noted that through the effort of her organisation the culture of silence pertaining to rape and its offenders had been broken, while urging for more concerted approach towards steming the tide.
She said, “We have been calling on religious, traditional and security agencies that is why the culture of silence is broken. We have sensitised them to report cases of rape to Knightingale and we will act accordingly by taking the survivor to the hospital. So, through counselling and follow-up we will ensure justice is done.”
Also speaking, Asabe Malami, Director Social Development Gombe State Ministry of Women Affairs called on the community to stand firm towards solving rape issues.
She said, “We have a slogan that says whatever you see say something that culture of silence has been broken. That one was raped doesn’t mean she won’t get a husband but the community must assist in ensuring that perpetrators do not go free without punishment. We are after the survivor to ensure she is balanced mentally.”
Malami urged the community to report perpetrators to the ministry for due punishment, “let’s do something to help our community and our children. The traditional and religious institution need to stand up and fight for their people,” she added.
On his part, Barr. Japhet Maida, urged the community to expose perpetrators, adding that until they suffered punishment rape would still be a reoccurring event.
Maida said, “Security agencies and communities are expected to follow-up, they should be sensitised because proving rape is difficult, they should be made to understand that a child that is raped should not be washed but should be taken to the hospital like that so that the doctor can carry out medical examination. If the girl is washed proving it may be difficult.”
