Sen. Helen Esuene, Chairman Senate Committee on Women Affairs and youths matters Sunday said that the Senate will soon pass a bill on sexual violence and harassment against in the country.
Esuene stated this at Inauguration of National Executive of Ibom Consolidated Assembly (ICA), in Uyo, Akwa Ibom.
She said the bill seek to address the issue of rape and make it easier for the victims to come out to report.
“There is a bill currently in the Senate on Sexual violence against women. It supposed to address the issue of rape, to make it easier for victim to come out to report,’’ she said.
She said the bill when passed, more victims of rape would be able to seek justice and the victims would be properly punished.
Esuene, representing Akwa Ibom South Senatorial District, described the rape against women and girls child as “really unfortunate and very sad’’.
“The issue of rape on women is very unfortunate because is one crime that shouldn’t be because there are more women than men, why should a man rape a woman or a girl, that he shouldn’t even go near.
“The laws are there but the exhibition people have, rape victims are already traumatize and often times scared to even go to report at the police stations,’’ she said.
She regretted that the already existed laws was not enabling because it make it very difficult for a rape victim to report and seek justice.
“The laws as we have them now is not enabling at all because it makes it very difficult for the rape victim to go and report. Because the rapists will be ask all manner of questions and because of that, they don’t even want to border.
“If we don’t report and make the victim to pay according to law, then the crime we continue and increase,’’ she stated.
He decried that the bills in the national assembly are never delayed in the house.
“The process of law making is a very gradual and is not one stuff thing. One bill has to go through three readings in each house, then it is taking to the other house, then it will have to go through three readings.
“And then you must have a public hearing on it before two houses will now have a consensus bill, when that is now pass in the two houses again, before you can say the bill is pass.
“It is very long drawn out process, unfortunately that is what we have by camera legislature, if it was just one house then the process will be shortened,’’ she said.
She said that democracy has come to stay in Nigeria as the country will soon celebrates 15 years of uninterrupted democracy this year.
Esuene said that the National Assembly was a symbol of democratic government while urging Nigerians not to lose faith as the system was still a nascent one.
“Democracy is a partnership with the people that is why it will continue to excel and grow in Nigeria. Whatever you see now that may not be to our delight is because the democracy is till new and fresh.
“Nigeria is celebrating its centenary of 100 years as a nation, it is time that we start doing thing slightly differently, we cannot continue to be a baby at 100 years,’’ Esuene said.
The Senator lauded the State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio for his dynamic achievement and raising the political profile of the state as well as conceding the position of Governor to the Eket Senatorial District in 2015.
“I commend his effort, diligent, courage and forthrightness for consistently coming out to say the next Governor of the state should come from Eket Senatorial District.
“The Governorship race in the state is not a gender issue, leadership is not gender issue, it is what you have inside of you hence the decision for me to contest the governorship election,’’ she stressed.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Sen. Esuene was honoured as the Grand Patron of the Ibom Consolidated Assembly.
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