WHY SEXUAL DEFILEMENT OF FEMALE MINORS IS NOT REPORTED IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

Le résumé fourni par la source

One of the problems that make it difficult to fight sexual defilement of minors is non–report of the cases to law enforcement agencies in the country. This study, therefore, investigated the reasons why victims of sexual defilement of minors and their parents would not report incidences of defilement to authority. The study adopted descriptive survey design. Data were collected through qualitative and quantitative methods. These involved two in-depth interviews and 100 questionnaire survey of court officials (77) and social workers (23). Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis, while quantitative data were analysed using frequency distribution. Fifty – Six percent of the sampled court officials were female; 79.0% of them were married and 81.0% of them had between 1 to 3 children. Discomfort for victims and parents (mean = 4.08); shame that the incidence brought (mean = 4.56); compensation paid by offenders (mean = 3.31); stigma (mean = 4.71); unfamiliarity with legal remedies (mean = 3.87); mistrust of the police (mean = 3. 92); not trusting the court (mean = 3.22); fear of more attack from offenders or their families (mean = 3.41); fear that parents may be alleged of child negligence (mean = 3.29) and when offender is a family member or relative (mean = 4.24) were the reasons identified why victims and their parents would not make official report of cases of sexual defilement.Non–reported cases of sexual defilement of female minors were not a good step in right direction because it does not give room for justice in the society. Mass awareness on the reasons why sexual defilement of minors should be reported, familiarity with legal remedies and creation of conducive social environment to report cases of sexual defilement were recommended.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.