Since surviving her rape incident in 2011, Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi has remained dedicated to raising awareness of violence against women and girls. She founded the “Stand To End Rape” initiative with the aim to support victims of sexual assault, as well as to advocate against and prevent it.

In addition to training healthcare providers on sexual violence response mechanisms, donating HIV test kits to community health care centers, and developing an app for victims to map and contact police stations and healthcare centres, She just announced the initiative’s latest project, explaining that they’re seeking to create Nigeria’s first Federal Sex Offenders Register and lobby for the Government to mandate its use as a statutory requirement.

The absence of a system to hold assaulters accountable only straightens them to keep predating on girls and women. With the high rate of sexual violence crimes in Nigeria, it’s time to effect a change to discourage predators. The creation of a Sex Offenders Register can assist law enforcement officials to put restrictions in place to deter citizens from being exposed to the dangers posed by known predators and thus reduce sexual offense in the country; “The primary goal is to prevent sexual violence and reduce sexual re-offending”.

Recognizing degradation doesn’t work as well as reintegration, she stressed that the list won’t be made available to the general public but for law enforcement authorities, employers of people who work with children or vulnerable adults, authorities responsible for licensing institutions who care for children or vulnerable adults, and those responsible for approving foster care and adoptions. Her Instagram post explained that the drafting of the policy brief is still ongoing but Stand To End Rape’s partnership with Harvard Black Law Students Association (HBLSA) holds a lot of promise for the initiative.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvdxQ_LAcDV/

Earlier this month, a similar preventive measure to sexual violence was initiated by The Consent Workshop who asked for people to sign a petition mandating a sex offenders registry in Nigeria.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/ayodejiosowobi
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ICYMI: You can sign the petition, mandating the sex offenders registry in Nigeria here