The Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Oyo State Chapter, Rtd. Col. Joshua Akinyemiju has urged parents to teach their children sex education and encourage their female ones to dress modestly.
Akinyemiju gave the advice in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Ibadan, while reacting to the rampant cases of rape in the society.
He advised parents to stay together as much as possible while monitoring the movements of their children.
Akinyemiju urged law enforcement agents to be more proactive and review the laws concerning rape with a view to making them more stringent.
The Apostle called on religious leaders to step up preachings against this menace to their congregation while churches and mosques should begin to arrange security awareness lectures for their congregation.
“Victims should no longer be shy or afraid to report such incidents; the dangerous effect now is that victims are out rightly after the act, no longer alive to report the incident.
“This is why all the stakeholders should handle the issue with more seriousness, even more than COVID-19,” he said.
Also speaking, the Pastor of Deliverance Service Solution Centre, Samonda, Ibadan, Mrs Oluronke Esan said the increased rape incidences was a very sad development and direct fallout of the general decadence in the society’s moral and standard of living.
Esan remarked that it could be a fallout of childhood abuse or neglect in one form or the other, emotional instability/insecurity, selfishness, lack of home training, bad association, greed and possibly carnal mindedness of the rapist.
She said that effects of rape on victims could be life altering, if she was not understood, believed or able to share the experience with anyone.
“If there is no strong, constant emotional support, the victim suffers untold pains and anguish, they sometimes end up with broken marriages or dysfunctional lifestyles as a result of the trauma,” she said.
She called on Christian parents and guardians to train their children in God’s way so that when they are old they would not depart from the godly way as the bible says.
Esan also urged the youths and children to make the bible their code of conduct, obey, trust in the Lord and lean not on their own understanding.
“A life without Jesus might seem ‘cool’, the ‘in’ thing but it leads to ultimate destruction; for victims, their care givers, Jesus said come unto me all ye that laour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.
“Recriminations and self pity will not help the issue at all, allow the Holy Spirit to comfort you and take each day at a time.
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“Remember that you are fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image, no matter what experience you have gone through, know that God’s word for your life will come true, only believe,” she said. (NAN)