How to curb sexual misconducts by randy lecturers

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has called on the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANA) to tackle the incidence of ‘sexual violations’ of admission seekers and students.

Recall that a lecturer, Boniface Igbeneghu, who is a former sub-dean of Faculty of Art of the University of Lagos and head pastor of local Foursquare Gospel Church has been embroiled in a sexual scandal following the release of a 13-minute video by BBC Africa where he was seen demanding for sex from a female candidate seeking admission

Reacting to the development, the group, while condemning the university authorities for failing to rein the rampaging group of bullies in the guise of lecturers who have continued to rape female students in exchange for grades and admission added that sexual harassment of females and males in schools have reached an epidemic dimension demanding comprehensive national panacea.

It, however, proposed the introduction of legislation to stipulate the chemical castration of rapists convicted for violating the dignity of children.

The group said that the proposal for the new law has been sent to the Federal Attorney General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami; Minister of Women Affairs Mrs. Pauline Tallen; Senate President Ahmed Lawan and Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila.

“In Nigeria rape is unlawful carnal knowledge of a female by a male. It could be non-consensual sex with an adult female or carnal knowledge of a female child or minor. On the other hand Chemical castration is the use of anaphrodisiac drugs to lower sexual drive. It does not involve removing a person’s testicles like surgical castration but only the use of drugs delivered by injection to render the testicles irrelevant.

“According to the American Journal of Criminal Law, 1990, chemical castration “reduces the production and effects of testosterone, thus diminishing the compulsive sexual fantasy. Formerly inconsistent and commanding urges can be voluntarily controlled.

“In Canada, the courts cannot order offenders to undergo chemical castration – they can only impose psychiatric treatment, which can include the use of anti-libido medication. In 2006, the Canadian Court of Appeal ruled it constitutional for the National Parole Board to require that recidivist sex offenders, if found to be long-term offenders, be chemically castrated as conditions of release.”

HURIWA added that there was need to put in place sustainable regime of legal frameworks to confront the hydra headed monster of sexual harassment of female students and admission seekers by lecturers.