Motherhood and protecting the sexual rights of sexually abused female child in a Nigerian community

Ojo M. Agunbiade, Obafemi Awolowo University

This study examines mothers’ strategies of managing their girl child sexual health and rights in a Yoruba community in Nigeria. A structured questionnaire was administered among a sample of 156 female students alongside with 35 in-depth interviews with mothers. Findings showed that 56% of the girls have been sexually abused. Often, cases of sexual abuse were unreported except when physical damages were involved or when caught in the act. Mothers were aware of child sexual abuse, but were unwilling to prosecute the perpetrators even when their daughters were the victims. The belief that God will not allow such to happen to any of their daughters and those whose daughters had fallen victims should accept it as their fate was dominant. Hence, educating mothers on positive preventive measures and therapies for victims of child sexual abuse could be relevant in empowering and protecting the sexual rights of the girl child in Nigeria.