KAYODE APONMADE
The coordinator of FEMLSO, Lagos Female Lawyers In Politics, Mrs Abimbola Badia Jack Oladugba, has urged the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu not to relent in his efforts to curtail the incessant increase in Rape and Gender-Base Violence (GBV) particularly Rape.
The woman activist stated that the reasons behind the increase in the criminal behavior are the unimaginable culture of silence for fear of stigmatization and nonchalant attitude of families and close associates of victims of rape.
Oladugba stressed further that the porous security system also contributed to the vulnerability of innocent and discerning women and children in the society.
She added that adequate legal structure should be immediately put in place by governments in a quest to seriously address the activities of the rampaging rapists across the nation.
 Mrs Jack Oladugba also posited that it’s high time the government promulgated laws against rape attracting stiffer penalty like life imprisonment and or death sentence upon conviction to legitimately protect Nigerian women and children.
In the same token, the group General  Secretary, Adefowoke Ayo-Ponle condemned the increasing rate of the perpetration of the heinous crime of rape and defilement.
Describing the spate as alarming, Ayo-Pole said it calls for serious and continuous advocacy from government, organizations and all concerned in breaking the stereotype culture of silence.
“The government should put in place more measures to protect the survivors of the heinous crime for speaking up, and also bring the perpetrators of the crime to book.
It is also important to reiterate that government should put in adequate funding for proper investigation and preservation of evidence, the Nigerian Police Force should be re-orientated through continuous training.
 Survivors of this crime should not be stigmatized by the public, while proper counseling be provided for them”. She advised.