Justify rape, get arrested – NAPTIP warns

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Mrs Julie Okah-Donli, Director-General (DG), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), has cautioned Nigerians to desist from justifying rape or get arrested as suspects.

Okah-Donli said this while answering questions from newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.

She queried parents for not doing enough to take care of their wards and children, explaining that 90 per cent of rape cases were committed by uncles, fathers and relations.

According to her, many careless acts by parents are responsible for rape cases across the country.

She, therefore, said that the agency would approach the Ministry of Justice to push for the establishment of special court to try rapists.

Okah-Donli also called for life imprisonment instead of capital punishment for convicted rapists, adding that there was need to educate Nigerians, especially neighbours on rape issues.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the agency’s toll-free lines to call during distress, especially as it concerns rape are – 07030000203, 0802255627847 and 08077225566.

The NAPTIP boss said that cases could also be reported on social media platforms such as the Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, among others.

She, however, said that there was no national template of victims’ trauma response to share pain, adding that the duration of psychological trauma varies from individuals.