Do not say “please” after I say No
It has been two weeks since the case of prevalent sexual assault in Unilag was brought to light. In a previous article, we highlighted the case of a 200L female student who was sexually assaulted by a 200L male student who was discovered to be a repeat offender, including several others who have seemingly escaped punishment due to the open-and-close culture of sexual assault cases in Unilag.
In response to criticisms, the Vice Chancellor of Unilag expressed commitments to punishing perpetrators in all cases and creating a new sexual assault policy in Unilag. She also promised that perpetrators would face a disciplinary committee and that a statement would be released after investigations had been concluded.
Additionally, she expressed her intention to investigate not only students but also lecturers who have sexually assaulted students and have them punished via an X community space.
READ MORE: There is a sexual assault crisis of female medical students in UNILAG. Here’s what you need to know
However, it has been two weeks since these promises were made, and the university has yet to reveal the outcome of its investigations. The silence from the university authorities further expounds the “open-and-close” culture for sexual assault cases in Unilag. To reawaken the slowly dying case, protests in the form of walks have been organised by SirenCo and Herbode.
The first, held on July 13, saw women from all walks of life come together in a show of unity to protest against the sexual harassment culture against women.
The walk symbolises a collective resilience and unwavering commitment to creating a safer world for women. The hashtag #SirensInHerbodeAgainstSA also trended online in solidarity with the protest and its purpose.
The walk against sexual assault will continue for the next two weekends, and the organisers have an open call for people to join the protests in the subsequent locations. You can find out more here.
