Child rape: Now our collective sense of revulsion has been affected, by Wale Fapounda

Last week I led the prosecution of a man accused of child defilement. He sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl. No matter how many times one prosecutes sex offenders, nothing can possibly prepare anyone for this experience. The child was the first prosecution witness.
How do you examine a 13-year-old rape victim (she was 12 when she was raped) in a manner that complies with applicable Law and Practice? How do I ask a 13-year-old if there was penetration?
As if reading my mind, she described in a very matter-of-factly and with the innocence of a child, how the defendant who she frequently referred to as “Daddy” stuck his penis into her vaginal and she bled.
I expected the usual Naija exclamation or show of emotions from court personnel. When none came, it struck me that the abnormal in our society has now become the normal. Our collective sense of revulsion has been so abused by the frequency of child defilement, that the revelation of a child that “a daddy” stuck his penis into her vaginal did not as much as get a “haaa”.
Girl-child victims of defilement are being let down on multiple fronts in Nigeria – The Law, Family, Society and the State. In Ekiti State, the Fayemi Administration has adopted some of the most stringent punitive measures against child defilement. Apart from the vigorous prosecution of offenders, we have made sure that convicted sex offenders do not benefit from early release or Mr. Governor’s Powers of Prerogative of Mercy. We have also opened a Register of Sex Offenders to enable us keep proper record of offenders and with a view to seeking tougher punishment for repeat offenders.
Recently, following our findings that these measures are not as effective as we envisaged, I announced new measures including compulsory psychiatric tests of sex offenders especially where a minor is a victim, publication of names of convicted sex offenders on the website of the MOJ and pasting their pictures in their communities with an added advisory to their traditional rulers on their status.
Today, I have directed the Solicitor-General to review the relevant provisions of our Criminal Code Law. In particular, we need to ensure that victims of sexual violence including minors are not subjected to re-victimisation by the provisions of our laws. Our response to child defilement cannot be limited to prosecution. We need to ensure that child victims benefit from free counselling, psychological support and medical assistance.
We will continue to pursue and with added energy our plan for a One-Stop Sexual Assault Referral Center in Ekiti State.
On this day, I assure all the Children in Ekiti State that the Ministry of Justice will continue to work for a child defilement free society.
. Fapounda is Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ekiti State.