The Ikra Foundation says it has recorded over 500 cases of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Sgbv, in Bauchi State in 2023.

It added that over 100 cases of rape were also recorded – with Toro, Alkaleri and Katagum local government areas recording the highest number of cases.

The Executive Director of Ikra Foundation for Women and Youth Development, Amina Garuba Ahmed, who lamented the high rate of SGBV, called for a special Court to prosecute these cases.

According to Amina, Sgbv Cases need special attention and a new approach to the trial process to encourage victims to report the perpetrators who are impeding the rights of others.

She stated this at the weekend while speaking about the activities of the Foundation in partnership with USAID and Palladium.

Speaking on the topic ‘Consolidating the Advocacy for Justice Delivery for Survivors of SGBV in Nigeria’, she said, “Let there be a special court for SGBV cases where priority will be given to those issues. This will allow speedy justice delivery.

“Also, we want the court to fix a special time for rape cases. It could be early morning or late afternoon when no other case will be heard.

“In our engagement with some survivors, they have always been shamed to appear in court when so many people are gathered. People tend to point at them as raped victims and this adds up to the stigmatization.

“We have been engaging the court staff to protect the SGBV survivors while appearing in the courtroom. The new law –Violence Against Person Prohibition (VAPP) allows the victims to be protected. This means that all forms of their identity including in their file could be pseudonymous.”

She also said that both Police and the media are prohibited from revealing identities including any form of description that could expose the victims.

DAILY POST recalls that Bauchi State had in December 2022 enacted the VAPP Law to protect individuals from any form of violence and victimization.

The law sentences convicted rapists to life imprisonment. Raping a minor attracts death by hanging.