In the African society, perception of men in the Masculine gender socialization perspective as superior in dealing with emotional and physical trauma has created a distorted view on whether men too should be seen as victims of rape. This perception of rape victims has been nurtured by the legal definition of what rape is; where the females are pictured as the only possible victims, whereas the males are seen as the only possible perpetrators.
Over the years, this description of rape has no doubt given the female victims some legal incentive over their male perpetrators. While this trend has to be maintained due to the escalating female victimized cases of rape, the spiral rise of male victimized reports of rape cases has prompted the necessity to bring about legal incentive for such victimized males.
However, As the Nigeria National Assembly moved to joins host of other Eastern and Western countries in passing the Bill on recognition of men as rape victims, I have this concern I felt needs addressing before the Bill passes into law: Does men in this context include all in the Masculine gender socialization? Shouldn't there be some exclusions?
That is necessary to be addressed going by the latest definition of rape by the U.S Department of Justice, which defined rape as: “The penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.” The bill sponsored by Senator Oluremi Tinubu, is exactly as defined above. Looking at the details of that definition, I felt the need for modification of this bill to enable its exclusive applications when it's finally passed into law.
One might asks why? The reason is that, in the African society, as a matter of fact, Nigeria to be precise, where undue advantages are taken of provisions meant to serves a particular purpose. What are the tendencies that male perpetrators wouldn't take advantage of their recognition as victims of rape to prevail over their female victims?
This call for expansion of Senator Oluremi Tinubu's Bill on recognition of men as rape victims, to incorporate scenarios whereby the male can be identifies as victim in a case involving an adult male and female, a minor male and adult female, (male on male is out of context here). This is necessary because of the form of aids such as bribe, weapons, hard drugs, charms etc. both adult males and females and most time minor males (as seen in some cases of Juvenile Delinquency) deploy in prevailing over their victims.
In essence, while the bill, if passed into law will go a long way in providing legal incentive for traumatized male victims of rape, there is need for exclusive applications in order to avoid a scenario where Court Judges are left confuse on who is to be convict of being the perpetrator, when presented with delicate cases of rape in the near future.
You reader, what is your own opinion on this bill that have already scaled through third reading in the Senate plenary? State your thought in the comment platform below. Share and remember to tap on the "follow" icon for your latest news and articles.
Content created and supplied by: Emmanuel*Busby (via Opera News )
COMMENTS