BREAKING THE CULTURE OF SILENCE ON RAPE: A CRY FOR JUSTICE
Keywords:
Women, Exposition, Incidences, Human Rights, Sexual Violence, Feminism, Justice, Jurisprudence, Breaking, Silence, RapeAbstract
The myth associated with rape is not restricted to the fear of stigmatization, subjection to ritual cleansing, and
confirmation of guilt on the victim by the people. It extends to the consequential effect of compromising justice for
remaining silent and shielding the cankerworm. A call for breaking the culture of silence on rape and a cry for justice
is eminent. This bedrock was the crux of the matter in this study. The research methodology was doctrinal approach,
using investigatory and expository research design. The main sources of data collection were various legal literatures,
both from the physical library and the e-library. It was observed that there are chunks of incidences of rape in our
society which most of them are unreported or evidence for justice seeking are being destroyed even by the victims
Therefore, it was recommended, among others, that feminist jurisprudence, human right scholars, the government and
every stakeholder should encourage rape victims to speak out their experience to help curb the societal cankerworm.
It was also recommended that some the laws on rape should be expanded and made more enforceable and victims of
rape should be compensated and register of rapist should be created in every states of the federation. International
and Regional instruments should have enforcement power and punitive measures on member states and also
International and Regional Conventions that protects women’s rights should be domesticated. Finally, this article
has significant to all stakeholders in human rights, feminism, civil society organizations, legislature and other policy
makers.
