Act One

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Uwavera Omozuwa's dream was to be a nurse

There is widespread outrage in Nigeria after the murder of a 22-year-old student in a Church, where they studied in the southern city of Benin. The Family of Uwavera Omozuwa, known as UVA, to say, she was brutally raped and beaten to death.

It is one of several shocking cases in The Past week the led-street-protests signed by thousands and a Twitter hashtag.

to Many Nigerians point of a legal system, they say, it's hard to condemn the alleged rapists and blame women, if you are The Victim of sexual assault.

warning: This article contains details that some readers of a burden

for The First Time 36-year-old Wanda Ebe was sexually harassed, she was under the Age Of Six Years old.

she says, their nanny, a middle-aged woman, forced her to repeatedly perform oral sex on her when they were alone.

at The Age Of Six Years to stop an attempt from Ms Ebe, to report the abuse due to threats to cost of The Nanny her parents life.

"they [The Nanny ] poured a bucket full of Hot Water on me, leaving me in excruciating pain. I had to be rushed to The Hospital , and I missed a year of school," Ms Ebe told The Bbc .

Ms Ebe, said The Nanny told her parents it was an accident, and so, out of fear for their safety, you don't say something at The Time .

Wanda Ebe often talks about their experiences to help other rape victims

it was The Second Time Ms Ebe sexually abused, was she was a 21-year-old second-year student at the University, who is recovering from a recent Operation.

she remembers being raped by a doctor, made an excuse to you to his house for an appointment, rather than a medical center.

"He tore my clothes and raped me," She Said . "I was weak from the surgery and could do little to resist him. "

"I didn't want to go to The Police or anyone for that matter. I never knew that rape cases were reported to The Police . "

Tough place to condemn a rapist

In Nigeria, it is not uncommon to go for a rape clause dark.

Some of The Victims and their families, to report for fear of stigmatization, police extortion, and lack of trust in the judiciary, not cases choose to The Authorities .

There have also been cases where those who are Brave Enough are directed to report the fact, derogatory remarks to The Police .

"you are demonized for either your dressing, you are in the wrong place at the wrong Time or is accused, the claims of rape," said Mrs. Ebe, who is now a Social Worker and heads a to help charity, Street Children , people with disabilities and survivors of sexual abuse.

she often speaks about her experiences to help other rape victims. She says, The Victims often brick walls found in hospitals, police stations and courts, where they are supposed to, to get justice.

"The punishment for rape in Nigeria up to 14 years in prison, but I've seen a judge sentence someone suspended for only Four Years , two years, because he was young and had A Life in front of him," She Said .

"What is with The Victim whose life was affected?"

The Police accused of the rape of women

In the year 2019 in the capital of Abuja, women arrested during a RAID on a Night Club accused The Police raped some of them.

She Said The Police accused them as sex workers and while they were in The Police , you were raped again and again by Officers .

Tina , 16, was shot and killed by a police officer in Lagos

The Police denied the allegations, and The Matter is currently before the court.

"Such incidents are not victims to calm down, that is the Police Station , where they can get help," her lawyer, Dorothy Njemanze, said The Bbc .

No One knows exactly how many rapes take place in The West African state on an annual basis. The official Nigeria Bureau of Statistics said, More Than 2,200 cases of rape and indecent have been reported, in the year 2017.

But experts say the true number of rapes is likely to be much higher.

"We get at least six people come in cases of Domestic Violence per week," Ms Njemanze, said of working as a lawyer. "While the coronavirus is from the lockdown, we began to receive four to seven cases per day, and 70% of them were in connection with rape. "

the results of The In July 2019 proposed that up to one in every Three Girls living in Nigeria, could have experienced at least one form of sexual violence by The Time they reach 25.

the Recent laws have expanded The Scope under which sexual crimes can be punished, in Nigeria, to try Making It easier to suspect.

"Before Now , the part of the Nigerian Constitution, which deals with the rape was in the code of criminal procedure and meant that cases had to be tried within two months or they would become Time -barred [not eligible to be heard In Court ], but that is not the case," Stephanie Ekpebulu, by a coalition of lawyers who do pro bono work with victims of rape, told The Bbc .

Dorothy NjemanzeDon' t take your bath, don' t dispose of clothing or anything that could be a proof. " Dorothy Njemanze
lawyer

However, in many States in Nigeria have not implemented the new laws.

"Most of the States in Northern Nigeria practising Sharia law-justice, which would be carried out, by way of derogation from the violence Against persons prohibition law, [the new laws]," lawyer Okani Emmanuel said.

"In The North , it is religion in The South , it is down to the cultural obstacles, where some of the widowhood practices which are contrary to The Law ," He Said .

The deficiencies in the Nigerian legal system, where each case is likely to take years to pursue, and a police system is not accused of is be thorough in your investigations, advises victims to approach the courts for justice.

Ms Njemanze, was raped in order to try and preserve evidence such as clothing, which can be used In Court .

"Most of the times, to hospitals, to see a Police Report before you with the treatment and this is very unfair, because it is a Time -bound crime," She Said . "The First thing is to get all The Evidence we can get and treat sexually transmitted infections. "

public Prosecution authorities such as The Police , he also accused the chances of The Victims getting a fair hearing In Court .

"Most of the times, The Police pay to The Victims to private hospitals, where there are bills and expect that the traumatized victims to foot. In extreme cases, asked to be suspect, to foot The Bills .

"How can such a system guarantees the justice in that?", Mr Emmanuel asked.

the Following national outrage, the announced police had made an arrest in the case of the Uwa.

you are a fire extinguisher said to be used in her murder was investigated by forensic experts and the fingerprints of The Suspect identified.

Nigeria Police Chief also announced a special investigator would be provided to respond to the equality of the desks in police stations across the country, to the increasing challenges of sexual assault and gender-based violence.

However, Uwa's case is not without its own controversy. Her family accused The Police request, make derogatory comments and bribes before investigating the case.

"you asked My Father whether he was the First Person , [his] daughter would be raped," The Victim 's sister told journalists.

The Police did not respond to the allegations. to accuse to stop

'Time , victims

'Some of the most recent election campaign was also against a culture of "victim blame" in the Nigerian society.

A person that suggests the tweet that you were raped while wearing a hijab has been shared thousands of times.

The online anger say was addressed to the official systems, activists, focuses too much on the education of girls about sex, but ignored The Boys , who become men.

"It is Time to teach the young, what is consent, and that a no is a no, no," Ms Ekpebulu told The Bbc .

If you are affected by sexual abuse or violence in Nigeria, help and support

is available If you are in the UK, when you will find Council.

nigeria, women's rights in africa

Source of news: bbc.com