Etim Ekpo Women Protest Against Rape And Sexual Violence
As Her Excellency, Mrs Martha Udom Emmanuel, has sustained the tempo of Family Empowerment and Youth Reorientation Path Initiative in her pursuit towards ameliorating moral decadence in the state, protest against rape, which has become increasingly rampant in our society. Over the weekend, Etim Ekpo women took to the streets and wards across the local government area to sensitize the people and campaign against rape.
A large chunk of the women, who were seen to be visibly angry, condemned the criminal act of rape in its entirety by carrying placards with the insignia “Say No To Rape”, dropping the message of caution against rape, child abuse, domestic violence and sexual harassment at every stopover, junction and market place in Etim Ekpo.
Mrs Akanimoh Eduo, wife of the chairman of Etim Ekpo and other women stakeholders who championed the campaign, decried the increasing spate of rape cases in Etim Ekpo as becoming alarming, calling on relevant government organisations and security agencies to heighten surveillance against perpetrators of this dastardly act, thereby bringing culprits and their accomplices to book.
“Mothers should endeavour to pay more attention to their children and underage girls as young girls of age five have also been sexually abused, as well as cases of much younger victims of two and three months old who have also been brought to the fore”, Mrs Eduo emphasized.
Female youths in Etim Ekpo also joined in the protest denouncing the recent sexual violence cases in the local government and its environs, demanding law enforcement agencies to subject offenders of rape to the full weight of the law since the crime affects youths and underage girls the most and caused unimaginable trauma on its victims.
In the same vein, while chanting ‘say no to rape’, Etim Ekpo women stakeholders declared incarceration as their collective verdict on purveyors of rape.
The event which ended at the palace of the paramount ruler of Etim Ekpo, His Royal Highness, Obong Amanam Udo, saw all women stakeholders in Etim Ekpo display their collective condemnation on the vicious atrocity called rape.
The paramount ruler in his speech declared a state of emergency against rape in Etim Ekpo, urging men to desist from the unholy act.
Present among the protesters were Mrs Anne Enoidem, wife of the chairman of Etim Ekpo Local Government Area, Mrs Akanimoh Eduo; wife of the member representing Etim Ekpo and Ika State Constituency, Mrs Charity Mfon Idung; vice chairman, Ms Nyeti Eno Eyo; wife of the paramount ruler, Obonganwan Gloria Udo; Mrs Gloria Ukpong, Mrs Alice George, Mrs Mary Smart, Mrs Choice Lazarus and Mrs Money Uduot Jack.
Others were Mrs Isonguyo Uko, Mrs Inibehe Umotong, Mrs Andimek Ekanem, Pastor Joyce Udoh, Mrs Aniekan Dan, Dr. Nkeseh Udeme, Etim Ekpo female youths, royal fathers, clergies amongst several others.
