Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
REUTERS
Abuja (Agenzia Fides) - "The Holy Scriptures and the Church down through the ages have condemned all sexual perversion including rape. Rape deeply wounds the respect, freedom, physical and moral integrity of the victim. It causes grave damage to the victim, sometimes for life. Rape is an intrinsically evil act that is even more grave and condemnable when inflicted on children either by parents (incest) or those who exercise any form of authority over them especially those responsible for their education".
This is how Metropolitan Archbishop of Lagos Ecclesiastical Province, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins, condemned the wave of sexual violence in Nigeria, in a statement released recently in Lagos and signed on his behalf by the Archdiocesan Director of Social Communications, Rev. Fr. Anthony Godonu.
Mgr. Martins underlines that urgent measures must be taken to stop violence against women and children, recalling everyone's responsibilities: "Parents, religious bodies and non-governmental Organizations must deliberately teach the boy-child respect for women; concerned government agencies must pay attention to suggestive contents that sexualize girls in musical videos as well as enforce more strict restrictions on pornographic materials that are so easily available on the internet".
He added: "Each person must also resist the common view that people must satisfy whatever urge or desire they have as if we are lower animals that have no control over their desires and urges. Everyone must also advocate for justice for victims of rape and severest possible punishment for rapists".
The Archbishop called on the Nigeria Police to ensure justice for victims of rape and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) and health workers across the country to join hands with other relevant professionals bodies to offer care and necessary counselling to victims of rape in order to help them overcome the trauma of the sad experience.
The intervention of condemnation of sexual violence by Mgr. Martins follows that of June 21 by His Exc. Mgr. Ignatius Ayau Kaigama, Archbishop of Abuja (see Fides, 24/6/2020). (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 11/7/2020)
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