Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, said the best way
to end rape and sexual assault in the country is by
ensuring convicted rapists get capital punishment which
does not entail killing them but cutting off their genitals.
Ita-Giwa, who represented Cross River in the Senate and
later served as Special Adviser on National Assembly
Matters to former President Goodluck Jonathan, spoke
as a special guest at ‘Magnenta and Black Art & Fashion
for Charity’, a fund raising exhibition for Mirabel Centre,
held at the British Council, Lagos by a group under the
aegis of Friends of Mirabel. She maintained that
throwing child- rapists into prison is not enough justice
but cutting off their genitals will ensure they do not use
them on other children.
Making reference to accounts of rape by two survivors at
the event, the senator said: “The lady said she was
happy that she got justice for her four-year-old daughter
who was raped by two men but, in my mind, if I were a
judge and a man is brought to court for raping a child, he
will receive capital punishment. But I will say, `don’t kill
him, rather let him live his life in pain, let his organ be
cut off’. He should not be allowed the pleasure of using
that organ anymore. If the organ is not cut off, at the
end of his term in prison, he will use it on other children.
Fortunately for them, I’m no longer in the Senate but I
will find a way to get it into the chamber. This is the
proper way to end the evil of rape in the society”.
While commending Mirabel Centre for its commitment
towards rehabilitating survivors of sexual assault and
rape, she pledged support to the Centre and called on
all to join in the fight against rape and sexual assault.
Also speaking, the Managing Partner at Partnership for
Justice and Founder Mirabel Centre, Mrs Itoro Eze-
Anaba, said that the situation had reached a stage that
girls are no longer safe in their homes since fathers and
uncles rape them.
“Rape is not a girls’ or women’s issue, it is a community
issue because boys are also being raped daily. The
implication is that if we do not end it, the abused may
end up as an abuser and a time will come when the
society will be filled with abusers,” Eze-Anaba said.
She called on public spirited individuals and
organizations to support Mirabel Centre to continue with
the good work of protecting children.