By IFEOMA CHIKWE, Delta-
A Non Governental Organization, PHEW Foundation International has called for stringent punishment for rape and Gender-Based Violence offenders in the society.
The founder of the group, Mrs. Uche Chigbo, who disclosed this on Monday in Warri, said that the development would served as a deterrent to others perpetrators.
Mrs. Chigbo, however, lamented over the slow response to rape cases and called for prompt legal action against offenders.
She urged parents to monitor their wards and encourage them to speak out when they were being violated.
According to him, the Foundation would continue to intensify its campaign against the illicit act in the country.
“There should be quick dispensation of legal cases on rape while capital punishment should be meted on offenders.
“Government should create the enabling environment for the men to be gainfully engaged because an idle mind is a devil’s workshop,’’ she said.
Mrs Chigbo also urged members of the public to stop stigmatising the victims, noting that it was not their fault.
She described rape as a “monster” that needed to be eliminated, adding that it exposed victims to numerous risks including mental disorders, HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), and death among others.
She also highlighed some of the factors responsible for rape and other forms of violence against women to include: wickedness, ritual purposes, lack of self-control and superiority over womanhood.
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