A proposed bill to prohibit the stigmatisation of victims of rape and insurgency has passed second reading in the Nigerian Senate.
This comes after the debate on the general principles of the bill which was sponsored by Sani Musa (Niger-APC) during Wednesday’s plenary.
The bill as proposed is titled;
“A Bill for an Act to Prohibit the Stigmatisation of Victims of Rape and Insurgency in order to encourage victims of rape to testify in court and victims of insurgency to be reintegrated into the community of his or choice.”
Leading the debate, Mr Musa said the bill was read for the first time in the chamber on December 10, 2019.
The objective of the bill is to provide a legal and institutional framework for the protocol for reintegration of victims of rape and insurgency in the country.
Mr Musa said that the bill if passed into law, would certainly provide a new lease of life for victims of rape in the country.
He said, it was high time the Senate legislated and took actions that would address some of the shortcomings in the country’s legal system on issues of stigmatisation for victims of rape and violence.
Supporting the debate, Sandy Onor (Cross River-PDP) said that one of the topmost issue in the country was the unending protest against rape and brutality against women.
Onor said, the bill if passed, would show to Nigerians that “it is action not words.’’ We have a way of moving quickly from theory to practical.
“We must ensure that prosecution for rape and brutality against women is accelerated in our judicial process. Let justice be served in a way it should be served.” he exclaimed.
The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, in his remarks stated that rape was a menace that must be addressed in the society.
“We have to be in a haste to pass the legislation in order to arrest the situation.”
The Senate President, thereafter, referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and they are to report back to the upper chamber in four weeks.
