A professor in the Department of Health Promotion and Education, University of Ibadan, Prof. Ademola Ajuwon, has called for a review of laws on rape.
Ajuwon made the call while delivering an inaugural lecture entitled, 'Adolescence: The excitement, complexities and challenges' in Ibadan on Friday.
He said, "The laws regarding rape should be revised to recognise the fact that both males and females are vulnerable to rape and intercourseual violence.
"Although female adolescents are disproportionately affected by intercourseual coercion, both male and female should be targets of intervention.
"However, boys need skills on how to resolve conflicts through negotiations so that they do not resort to violence and rape.
"There is a need for a revision of the laws regarding conditions for proving rape. For example, it is not in every case that there will be an evidence of struggle because rape takes place under duress in which use of weapons are involved."
Noting that adolescents were more intercourseually active and adventurous, he called for parental intervention in shaping their attitude.
He also canvassed peer education in preventing rape, HIV and other related vices.
He said, "Parents should play a proactive role in the reproductive health education for their children. Formal teaching and leading by example are required to reinforce the positive messages that will enable adolescents to counter many of the rumours that they receive from their peers.
"Rape is not an isolated event but occurs after a series of other intercourseual coercive events such as verbal insistence and assault."
He recommended the intervention of government agencies in developing policies and rules that would guide against intercourseual exploitation of employees, apprentices and hawkers among other groups.
This, he said, would reduce the incidence of rape, physical, psychological and economic exploitation in the society.
The Punch