COMFORT OLAFARE:’EDUCATION IS A TOOL FOR MAINTAINING A RAPE FREE SOCIETY’ ~ INN Nigeria

EDUCATION IS A TOOL FOR MAINTAINING A RAPE FREE SOCIETY By Comfort Oladunni Olafare

It is expedient to do justice to the following key words;

Education,
Rape,
Society.

EDUCATION

Straightforwardly, we can say that “Education is the passage to progress”.

It is the passage to progress because it opens door of opportunity that can expose one to success in a twinkle of an eye.

However, it is important to note that there are three basic types of education namely;

1. Formal Education
2. Informal Education
3. Non-formal Education

Formal Education or formal learning is that type of education which usually take place in the premises of the school, where a person may learn basic, academic, or trade skills.

Take for instance, Small children often attend a nursery or kindergarten but often formal education begins in elementary school and continues with secondary school.

Informal Education is a type of education whereby you are not studying in a school and do not use any particular learning method. In this type of education, conscious efforts are not involved. It is neither pre-planned nor deliberate.

Places where informal Education can be acquired includes marketplace, hotel or at home.

While Non-formal Education is the type of Education that includes adult basic education, adult literacy education or school equivalency preparation.

In non-formal Education, someone (who is not in school) can learn literacy, other basic skills or job skills.

RAPE

We are all familiar with the definition of rape so as such, I’ll be giving a generally acceptable definition.

Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse or other forms of sexual penetration carried out against a person without that person’s consent.
In this definition, it is important to note the word “consent”.

SOCIETY

According to Merriam Webster,
A society is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction, or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations.

In its simplest form, society is a group of people, living together and usually with a common ideology.

How is Education a Tool For Maintaining a Rape Free Society?

However, it is important to note that when a problem is not identified, getting a lasting solution is less achievable but when a problem is well identified, proffering a solution is feasible.
You would agree with me that before 21st century came into existence, we have always recorded rape cases but in its simplest form, what then brought about the sudden increase of rape cases in 2020?

A United Nations statistical report compiled from government sources showed that more than 250,000 cases of rape or attempted rape were recorded by police annually. The reported data covered 65 countries which our dear giant of Africa, Nigeria is one of the countries.

While we are so anxious to have a Rape Free Society, it is apparent to consider the causes.
On this note I’ll be sharing a few likely causes of Rape.

Causes of Rape are and not restricted to the following;

• 1. Absence of Formal Education
• 2. Lack of Exposure
• 3. Disunity/separation of parents
• 4. Government lackadaisical attitude towards the syllabus that student’s consume
• 5. Absence of the Fear of God
• 6. Covetousness
• 7. Total absence of Love.

1. ABSENCE OF FORMAL EDUCATION:

You would agree with me that 65% percent of people involved in Rape issues are the illiterates who don’t have access to formal education.

In as much we capitalise on informal Education, it is important to note that formal education is key to exposure.

These set of people are not educated formally and they believe in themselves to do whatever pleases them to others as far as they’re pleased and derive pleasure from it forgetting the need to seek the other person’s consent.

2. LACK OF EXPOSURE:

Exposure is Light, It brings one out from darkness.

One who’s not exposed would beat remain a local champion and we all know how a local champion feels, he/she believes he has arrived or she has arrived and as such sees whatever he does or whatever she does as supreme that no one dare questions.

Exposure is paramount to growth because it ensures a rapid growth that paves way for connectivity, success and progress.

3. DISUNITY/SEPARATION OF PARENTS:

Charity they say begins at home but what of in a home where the originator of charity is absence?

Most of the youth and teenagers out there are living an unaccountable life because there’s no one to hold them responsible, make them see the need to value education, hence they fall into friends where they tend to change their behaviour so quick as a result of peer group .

Is the child to be blamed when he/she is not being cared for?

4. GOVERNMENT LACKADAISICAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE SYLLABUS THAT STUDENT’S CONSUME:

This is one of the major causes because students consume archaic syllabuses that isn’t affecting them directly.

Imagine still using the same syllabus as that of fifteenth century when we are now in twenty first century whereby the world is going digital.

5. ABSENCE OF THE FEAR OF GOD:

We are now in a conscience free century whereby we as a people no longer live by conscience instead we live by what pleases us at the detriment of other’s happiness.

Both the Bible and Quran emphasized on the need to love our neighbours as ourselves because it is only with that we all can live a peaceful and accommodating life.

6. COVETOUSNESS:

You are accused of stealing a cow, you said no you’re not a thief yet you were going around with a cow meat, please what are you?

Most ladies and guys collect freebies from someone they wouldn’t want to have any affairs with yet they keep getting freebies, the question is won’t you pay anything in return of the freebies?

Covetousness is also a major factor that we need to channel our strength in.

 7. TOTAL ABSENCE OF LOVE:

Love is life
Love is good
Love is patient,
Love is not deceitful,
Love is not hurting others for your own comfort.

If indeed love exist, then there won’t be need for sexual assault when you can always get it for as low as #500 out there.

Now let’s quickly consider the way out and how to ensure a Rape Free Society now that we know some of the likely causes;

1. Education system should introduce Gender and Sex Roles related topics in the curriculum at schools in other to generate awareness and empower the students from a tender age.

2. There should be deliberate efforts towards updating and upgrading the syllabus and stop the use of archaic syllabuses.

3. The kind of Exposure children and young adults get should be advanced.

4. There should be more of physical engagement and public awareness on gender and sex related issues in an understandable language to online awareness.

We indulge more in online awareness and Sensitisation forgetting that people that needs this the most are not majorly online then how do we sensitise them?

Also we appreciate to be modest by speaking the language that is generally acceptable forgetting that communication is not about language but filling up gaps and helping to decode messages in the absence of noise.

If our audience best understand Hausa then we should consider relating with them via Hausa and not English because it is generally acceptable.
The audience matters not the language.

5. Moral above Oral.
While it is important to consider our kids to be able to speak fluently, parents should also consider moral upbringing as this is apt towards ensuring a Rape Free Society.

Conclusively, Education is a major tool for maintaining a Rape Free Society but we all must note that it is not solely the responsibility of the government but a collective effort of both the government, parents, society, exposed/informed youth and individuals.