Lagos — A human rights activist and social crusader, Mrs. Olushola Akai, has frowned at the rampant cases of sexual abuse against the youths in the present-day society.

Speaking during a programme tagged 'Career Development and Gender Based Violence and Discrimination Against the Child' held recently at the Metropolitan College, Isolo-Lagos and organised by Ajegunle Community Project (ACP), she said sexual abuse refers to the use of force to initiate sexual activities.

Akai, who is ACP's Executive Director, explained that nearly all-sexual abuse or violence is committed by men, but quickly added that men and boys could be victims of violence albeit majority of sexual assault survivors are women and girls with 99 per cent perpetrators are men.

She further noted that this abuse also includes the involvement of dependent, developmentally immature children and adolescents in sexual activities, which they do not fully comprehend, and to which they are unable to give informed consent.

She, again, noted that this abuse could emanate through demands for sex in exchange for job or promotion or advancement or higher school marks or grades, as well as trafficking for the purpose of forced prostitution and forced exposure to pornography.

Akai lamented that sexual abuse does occur in schools, churches, mosques, on the road, at market places and at home, where people known to the victims take advantage of them due to familiarity.

"Sexual violence, abuse and harassment, have been an embarrassing issue to the victim, family and society. The issue is shrouded in secrecy. The reality and the extent of the menace has not been fully grasped by the society," she said.

She, however, listed the effects on youth development in the society, which include health of victims, adolescent pregnancy, unsafe abortion, sexually transmitted diseases, girls' inability to reproduce, Vesico Virginal Fistula (VVF), uterine problems, hemorrhage, death, and psychological problems.

Others are scarring of the virginal tissue affecting their ability to have a normal sex life in marriage, stigma and shame for the crime committed against them, trauma, guilt, fear, low self esteem and suicidal tendencies, which make some victims to drop out of school.