Stakeholders Advocate Stiffer Penalties for Sexual Assault Against the Less Privilege

By Prudence Ijah – July 22, 2019

Stakeholders are advocating for the introduction of stiffer penalties for persons found guilty of sexually assaulting children with special needs.

This call for tougher action against individuals convicted of sexual molestation of children with special needs emerged at the end of one-day stakeholders meeting on sexuality education for kids with special needs.

According to a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting as obtained by RegentAfrica Times in Abuja, government at all levels have been charged to appropriately respond to the spike in sexual molestation of children in different parts of the country.

The advice to government from concerned individuals including, parents and caregivers of kids with special needs, comes months after allegations of sodomy was raised by a pupil of the FCT school for the deaf. This is even as a recent case of teachers allegedly drugging and sexually abusing female students of the FCT school for the blind was reported.

Also in the communiqué signed by Director, Foundation for the Support of Children with Special Needs, Rafat Salami and Director, Ike Foundation for Autism, Francis Mohie, stakeholders reiterated the need to conduct an assessment of all the inclusive and special needs schools to determine their effectiveness and genuineness.

In addition, the communiqué emphasized the importance of developing a curriculum for children with special needs, to ensure that even with inclusive education, their needs are met.

Stakeholders at the meeting, however, highlighted key challenges they face which include the underreporting of sexual abuse of children with special needs and the absence of a support system even as stigma and discrimination remain another major challenge in the country.