WELCOME TO KENTERPRO:
CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF RAPE AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN PANKSHIN METROPOLIS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background to the Study

Rape is not an abstract concept; it has manifested in every civilisation. How are we to account for the barbaric nature of this heinous charade throughout Africa, particularly in Nigeria? What is it about our societies that predisposes women to various forms of abuse and rape? What could have precipitated the present increase in the number of reported cases? Sexual assaults committed by perpetrators against their victims could have been motivated by a range of circumstances. Because inquiries are easily posed in rape cases but responses are far more difficult and uncomfortable to deliver, the answers to these queries are not readily available. The closest approximation is the emotional response one has when the subject of the issue is brought up (Alabi, 2012).

While it is understandable when an emotional response occurs, this alone does not constitute adequate justification. Conducting extensive research is required to ascertain the root cause of the problem and obtain a complete grasp of it in order to take educated action. Until we do, we will remain in the dark about how to resist this epidemic and the scary dimensional expansion that has been detected in recent years (Obed, 2015). Rape is defined as the act of coercing another person into sexual contact against their will. Rape is defined in some definitions as a sexual penetration of another person’s body without the victim’s consent.

According to Ekweme (2013) rape victims, on the other hand, know no age limits, and the elderly are particularly vulnerable. It’s worth noting that 90% of rape victims are female. Rape is a breach of a woman’s right to self-preservation; it is an intrusion into her privacy; it is an inhumane and violent act committed against her. Rape victims commonly experience embarrassment, humiliation, and fear, yet the law protecting them is either non-existent or ineffective. The officers who are supposed to protect these victims are actually attacking them on a variety of levels, including sexual assault. A study found an incident in which a 14-year-old girl in Abuja was raped by a police officer while in their custody. Despite the fact that the incident that led to her arrest was not a rape, but a scuffle. She was sexually assaulted by a police officer after she threatened to inform authorities about the officer’s sexual approaches. In Nigeria, events similar to this one, as well as a plethora of others, occur on a regular basis.

Alemika (2003) reports that the alarming evidence of rape prevalence, as well as the ramifications and repercussions of rape among students, have been a subject of concern. As a result of the preceding remark, it is feasible to conclude that rape among young people is so prevalent today that one cannot trust even a primary school student to be rape-free. In truth, reports in the Nigerian mass media indicate that the war on rape has revealed that today’s youth are nearly the only generation to have experienced a high rate of rape.

Any nation cannot ignore the consequences of this disease that was brought about by people. This has contributed to the weakening of many young female girls’ grandiose expectations, resulting in the development of so-called future leaders who are actually future losers. If this problem is to be properly addressed, patriotic citizens and individual organizations must assist the government in its efforts to purify society of rape.

Brooks and Brooks (2005) argue that rape serves as a gateway to a variety of illegal activities: it is linked to other societal vices such as thuggery, abortion, cultism, thievery, assassination, and truancy, among others, because the young and inexperienced are ill-equipped to deal with and cope with life’s challenges. They turn to drugs as a problem solver in order to escape the reality of the issue they are confronting. Drug use and subsequent abuse can result in poor academic performance and other deviant behaviors in students, which can be traced back to drug use and subsequent abuse. Legislators, law enforcement agencies, counselors, professors, pastors, psychiatrists, and parents all have a stake in resolving this issue. Even a modest amount of experimentation with hard drugs can be dangerous, and young individuals can develop an addiction to them in a matter of weeks, if not days. Before we realize the repercussions, they have already developed an addiction and developed bodily and psychological illnesses, rendering them incapable of changing their beliefs. Their moral sensibility has been completely destroyed.

Rape is an issue that affects everyone. In India, a rape case is recorded every 20 minutes, although less than 25% of these cases result in prosecution. The tendency is similar in the United States (Kayode, 2014). Between 2001 and 2005, around 10,079 rape cases were registered in Lagos state, western Nigeria, accounting for little over 18 percent of all reported rape cases countrywide (Peters and Olowa, 2010). A non-governmental organization (NGO) documented 170 occurrences of rape between July 2013 and January 2014. Additionally, the police command recorded an increase in rape cases, with gang rape being identified as the most prevalent type of rape, just as it was in 2013.

In view of the foregoing, it should be clear that rape is on the rise around the world. Rape is by no means a nice sight to behold. Even when criminals are prosecuted, the effects for the victims are severe. As a result, it is critical to contain this epidemic, particularly at Nigeria’s higher education institutions, where the disease has reached alarming levels of frequency. This was one of the variables that affected the study’s selection.

Given the preceding, the goal of this study is to ascertain the causes and effects of rape among senior Secondary school students in Pankshin Metropolis.

1.2. Statement of the Problem

There is irrefutable evidence of widespread rape, however the majority of victims remain silent about their experiences out of shame and fear of stigma. This study was done to inform recommendations for counseling as a tool for student discipline and to ascertain the roles of counsellors in combating rape among students at Secondary schools in Pankshin Metropolis with the goal of increasing student discipline.

This work examines rape in this setting and gives recommendations for activities that could be undertaken to combat this menace. Its objective is to foster a greater awareness of the following topics: – What conditions contribute to victim rape?

– What are the consequences of these incidents for the individuals who are impacted?

– How can these incidents be avoided in the future?

Rape, as well as its socio-psychological, socio-cultural, and health consequences, have all been extensively examined in a number of different literatures. Only a few have been written about the rising rate of rape, and only a few have examined the steps that must be taken to significantly reduce, if not fully eliminate, this monster known as rape in Nigerian culture. For these reasons, this study aims to contribute to the existing body of knowledge while also breaking new ground in terms of raising awareness among Nigerians about the causes and effects of rape among senior secondary school students in Pankshin Metropolis.

1.3. Purpose of the Study

The primary objective of this study is to ascertain causes and effects of rape among senior secondary school students in Pankshin Metropolis. The specific objectives of the study are to:

1. ascertain the causes of rape among secondary school students.
2. ascertain the effects of rape among secondary school students.
3. gain a better understanding of the counsellor’s role in preventing rape among Secondary schools in Pankshin Metropolis

1.4. Research Questions

The following research questions guided the investigation:

1. What are the primary causes of rape among secondary schools in Pankshin Metropolis?
2. What effect does rape have on the moral behavior of persons who have been raped?
3. What role does the counsellor have in resolving the issue of rape among Secondary schools in Pankshin Metropolis?

1.5. Significance of the Study

This research will assist a huge number of people, including students, administrators, counselors, the general public, as well as government and non-governmental organizations.

As a result of this study’s findings, students might benefit from learning about the causes and repercussions of rape. They will profit from this knowledge in order to mold their lifestyles, which will serve as a preventive measure against immoral behavior such as rape.

To the school administrators, the research will provide information on how to respond to children who have been involved in rape, enabling them to provide proper rehabilitation for the victim and punishment for the perpetrator. Additionally, they would establish policies aimed at reducing or eliminating rape among secondary schools.

The study’s findings will spur authorities to establish rules promoting zero tolerance for rape among students.

The study will benefit the counselor by demonstrating the amount of work that has to be done to combat rape among students.

Finally, when this study is completed, it will serve as a reference material to future researchers who would want to carry out more research on the causes and effects of rape among senior secondary school students.

1.6. Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The study investigates the causes and effects of rape among senior secondary school students. The study is limited to the secondary schools in Pankshin Local Government Area. Even if the study is limited to a particular local government, the researcher believes that its conclusions can be applied to other areas of the state, if not the entire country.

1.7 Operational Definitions of Terms

            The following operational definition of terms have been provided for the purpose of understanding and classifications. Terms and some variables used in this research work are therefore, defined below:

Rape: This is the act of having sex forcefully with someone without their agreement.

Rapist: This is an individual who engages in the vicious act of sleeping with another person forcefully without consensual agreement. Most of the times, the rapists are men.

Secondary School: this is a post primary school level of education which children attend to prepare them for tertiary education.

Trauma: This is the psychological conflict in which an individual goes through as a result of rape. This state of restlessness could lead some victims to commit suicide.