Good Parental Upbringing And Society Reform: A Panacea To The Menace Of Rape -By Abdulganiyu Abdulrahman Akanbi

Yesterday, I read a post on rape written by Abdulrahman Fatimoh, a co-mate at the department of history, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto where she outlined some factors which make female responsible for their sexual harassment. I found the article interesting and educative enough -kudos to her- which caught my attention of commenting on her piece and triggered my inspiration.

As mentioned by her, young girls have imbibed in the habit of modern wears which exposes their natural pride. Unfortunately, so sadden, they tagged this dressing “fitted” and “civilized”. And in the real sense, these dressings truly portray the ironic image of their description. They sold their lifely and wealthy dignity in exchange for meager coins. Maybe they don’t think of the future and what it may hold.

While commenting below her post, a boss of mine, Abdulrasheed Mohammed of the department of political science, Udus, shared experiences on the addressed topic. On the course of exchanging comments, we deviated slightly on the topic and switched to the general menace faced by the girl child in the cold hands of the society after the improper care and act of negligence played by the parent.

The society is made up of bunches of individuals who are corrupt, bad, evil, dull, ignorant, naught, and all sorts of adjectives and attributes of these kinds. There is no scintilla of doubt in this assertion. These are the set of people who are controlling the lives of children since the abandonment of the parents to perform the righteous role on their wards. In fact, they are males and females. Both sexes share from this.

While talking on rape, we won’t swing our eyes from the truth. Guiding chastity against any internal or external attack has been neglected and taken with trivial hands in our modern environment today. The thought of keeping virginity for the future purpose for a life partner has been erased and wiped out by greed eyes and love of money of nowadays girls. Sex is now considered a normal phenomenon in human society. Girls are now proud of being a victim of early sex at this their tender age talk less of rape. Also, the ugly society we are in has taught the young girls and inherited in their blood the wisdom that, exposure to sex is among the factor of civilization. In the midst of girls, one who fails to indulge in a sexual act is considered uncivilized. Maybe, this is also applicable to their male counterpart.

From experiences, I have to tell you this. Song of jest will be sing on a girl who claims she is still a virgin at her early fifteen-year while at the other side, a drum of laughter will be beaten on a female child who refuses to imitate this shameful act within her age mates. I can’t
explain how bad this society is. Societal values have been lost since some decades ago. Indiscipline and immorality have formed the heart of the society and has been a story of the past as if the world is new. Where are discipline, modesty, and morality? No, where to be found. This reminded me of a popular Yoruba adage that says “help me to beat my child doesn’t reach the satisfaction of the owner of the child”

Not only the girl child falls into this victim but also a male child. Majority of the nowadays family has left their male children hustling on the street in their low youthful age in the name of empowering them of self-development. In some societies, male children are not paying adequate attention and care to and left to be the vulnerability of poverty in the community. Some serve as sources of livelihood for the family taking up the responsibility of their unharmed parent. They later become a liability. They also turn to criminals, penetrators, and perpetrators. A child left untrained soundly will later become a poisonous individual not only to the society but the country and large. And even, to the world.

Parents have left their wards not only female but male inclusive to the detrimental hands of the undisciplined society and its culture. Parents are no more taking responsibility for child upbringing. Nowadays, where is the parental role in a child? Parental responsibilities are now left over for the unknown individual to take. They had also released the bridle of their children and lost their control in this 21st century of a thing. And which the bad individuals in the society found cheaply, with no stress, the lost glory and take the control of these children. This is a general phenomenon which in no way in exception of a single society, culture, tribe and or religion.

To curb this menace, every social organization has a role to play here. Ranging from homes, there is an urgent need for sex education. This should start from individual houses before our educational institutions take it up. Society reform should be brought into the realm of reality. Orientations of girls on sex should be given adequate consideration to firstly in the society and by our government and other humanitarian agency.