The year 2020 would be remembered as the year of many things particularly the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the pandemic that tears at the very fibre of the society and requires equal and urgent attention is that of sexual crimes, particularly rape!

1. To support awareness creation among the public on the physical, psychological and traumatic effects of defilement and rape on the victims and their families.

2. To implement policies that discourage the youth against rape and create a system that empowers and protects the victims so that the culture of silence and shaming are broken.

3. To promote public enlightenment and understanding of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP Act) and to strictly and timeously enforce same.

4. To work with the public to institute practical mechanisms that will make for better protection for girls and women under the law, and make our communities, schools, higher institutions safe for girls/women and all vulnerable persons in our society.

5. To work with the public and security agencies to take a holistic look at the security apparatus in with a view to effectively curtailing rape, armed banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and gang rape.

6. To work with the media and other agencies to step up the campaign and wage war against the issue of Drug/Substance Abuse since it is one of the factors largely contributing to this barbaric act.

7. It is imperative for stakeholders to advocate with relevant institutions to ensure perpetrators are brought to book and justice is not delayed nor scuttled.

Communities must break the culture of silence and report such cases or the violations will persist. And also provide support and protection for victims and their families.

#EndRape #MuslimsAgainstRape