Group Advocates Centre For Sexual Assault Victims In Cross River

A research and advocacy group, the Center for Gender Economics in Africa (CGE Africa), has urged the Cross River State Government to establish and fund centers that will offer emergency response services to victims of sexual assault and molestation.

Executive Director of CGE Africa, Mrs. Uchenna Idoko, made the call while responding to questions from LEADERSHIP on Saturday in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State.

Idoko, who spoke shortly after an event on gender-responsive budgeting for a sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) prevention and mitigation project, stated that the proposed centers would serve as a place for sexual assault victims to seek help on sexual assault issues.

“All we are seeking are centers where survivors can go in the event of rape or molestation to have evidence collected.

“A place where young girls who had suffered sexual molestation can receive psycho-social and medical support.

“We are talking of centres where security personnel can take survivors’ statements for victims to get the justice that they deserve.

“This is why we want the state government to establish active Sexual Assault Referral Centers (SARCs) that will be helpful and well-known throughout the state.

The only one in the state is not funded and is not operational.

“It’s the reason why we want the state government to ensure that, once SGBV incidents occur, neighbours, churches, and mosques quickly refer survivors to the nearest SARC,” she said.

Idoko urged state residents to make sure victims of sexual molestation receive the necessary help to access the facility.

“If this is all we have achieved, I can beat my chest and say that this project is a success story.

“The way women’s bodies are built, these men see them as objects of sex..Wherever you are, even when you’re still in school, they want to sexualize you.

“Musicians and actors are also not helping matters; all they sing about is a ‘bom-bom’ and breasts. This is disgusting! The government should step up and fund a reorientation,” she appealed.