Christian Obodoechi
The Anambra State Ministry of Women Affairs has raised concern over rising cases of fathers raping their daughters in the state following the lockdown orchestrated by COVID-19.
Anambra State recorded more cases of fathers raping their daughters during the lockdown occasioned by the Coronavirus Disease, according to the Director of Child Welfare Services in the state Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Children and Social Welfare, Nkechi Anazodo, in Isuaniocha, Awka North Local Government Area of the state.
Anazodo, on Monday put the number of rape cases in the state at no fewer than 80 during the lockdown which covered April and May 2020.
Anazodo, who spoke during the United Nations Children’s Fund supported launch of integrated child protection community sensitisation campaign, said there were only 32 cases of rape in her ministry in the year before the lockdown, adding that the upsurge had necessitated the need for the 10- day statewide campaign in the 21 local government areas of the state.
She said: “Sexual violence has become the order of the day, especially during this period of lockdown.
“The most worrisome is that some fathers raped their daughters more during the lockdown.
“In most cases, fathers who rape their daughters threaten to kill them if they report.
“The problem, therefore, is that many people don’t report these cases because they feel that the victim might be stigmatised.
“That is why we are going round the 21 local government areas of the state to create awareness on this problem.”