The WARAKA Sexual Assault Referral Centre, SARC, has said no fewer than 4,000 cases of rape and other violence against women and children were reported in Kano State in the last five years.
This was made public by the Chairman SARC Steering Committee, Sanusi Aliyu Yakasai, at a press conference for the commemoration of 16 days of activism for elimination of Gender Based Violence Kano State.
The event was in collaboration with the GBV Response Team, Free Legal Aid Service Providers and also in partnership with Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) programme.
“Since inception the centre has recorded over 4,000, and still counting, cases of sexual violence mostly against young children below the age of 13 years.
“Kano’s growing population, which has made it cosmopolitan, increase the tendencies of exposing the most vulnerable members of the society, comprising women and girls, to the risk of being abused.
“For example, Dala LGA which the most populous in the state, in recent times has recorded high rate of incidences of violence against women and children, especially rape cases.
“This is closely followed by Kumbotso, Nasarawa, Tarauni and other metropolitan LGAs in the state,” he stated.
Speaking on the challenges in the fight against sexual violence, the committee chairman mentioned how silence and stigma have worsen the situation.
He called on the Kano State government to establish special courts for sexual violence cases to enhance the fight against the crime.
“Yet for far too long, impunity, silence, stigma, have allowed violence against women to escalate to pandemic proportions.
“I will like to use this opportunity to call on the administration of Kano state government under the leadership of Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to establish special courts to handle SGBV cases,” he stated.
Annually, the global community marks November 25 as the International Day for the elimination of Violence against Women and Girls.