Ini Edo, Annie Macaulay walk against rape
Ini Edo and Annie Macaulay on Tuesday joined other concerned citizens in a street demonstration highlighting the plight of sexually-abused persons in Nigeria.
The demonstration was part of campaign tagged Walk Against Rape (WAR) initiated by Rubies Ink Initiative since 2010. This is the 5th edition, scheduled in commemoration of International Women’s Day on March 8.
Many celebrities have lent their names in support of the cause. This time, Ini Edo, Annie Macaulay, Lami Phillips and Emmanuel Ikubese showed up at the Archbishop Vinning Memorial Church ground GRA Ikeja to take part.
The campaign includes a three-month sensitization workshop to educate and sensitise young people of secondary and primary school age on rape encouraging them to speak up.
Annie Macaulay giving a speech
This sensitisation workshop kicked off on February 18 with Desmond Elliot; Ade Ipaye, attorney-general and commissioner for justice in Lagos and a host of other stakeholders in attendance.
The workshop involves College Acquaintance Rape Education (CARE) in partnership with the Lagos state government and the Domestic and Sexual Violence Response team (DSVRT).
“Our aim is to help in encouraging victims to speak out and reduce the stigmatisation attached to the victims of sexual abuse and Rape as well as use ‘Walk Against Rape’ as a platform to inform the society about the soaring scourge of sexual abuse especially as it relates to young girls and women in general,”Esther Ijewere-Kalejaiye, project coordinator, said.
Rapists should be given life sentences-unfortunately a lot of men do not understand the scars left after rape. Rapist should be made to bare the full wrath of violating another human being (male or female). Well done Annie and Ini and all supporters that marched!