Why Society Gatz Care as More Boys Dey Experience Sexual Abuse

Source: https://www.bbc.com/

Society expects men to handle every situation without showing worry because expressing concern is seen as a sign of weakness. This expectation of being powerful and not openly displaying emotions is reinforced through cultural, religious, and normative teachings starting from a young age.

Key Highlight:

In Nigeria, there is a significant prevalence of physical and emotional abuse against children. According to a UNICEF report, there has been a five percent increase in violence against children from 2016 to 2021, with concerns raised about the lack of effective responses to these statistics. While rape is commonly perceived as a violation against girls, the 2015 Violence Against Children Report highlights that 1 out of 10 boys experience sexual violence before the age of 18.

Dr. Maynunah Kadiri, a psychologist in Lagos, highlights that many Nigerian men suffer from untreated emotional scars affecting their mental health. She underscores a significant statistic: there is one completed suicide in men for every 20 attempts in women.

Violence against boys can lead to intimacy issues, PTSD, alcoholism, drug abuse, and academic/work underperformance. Dr. Maynunah raises concerns about societal expectations on boys outweighing the support they receive, citing statistics like 70% of drug abuse cases and 90% of prison inmates being male in Nigeria.

In Nigeria, education is free and compulsory under the Universal Basic Education Act, yet many boys face socio-economic barriers that prevent them from receiving formal education. A UNICEF report reveals that 7.4 million boys are out of school in Nigeria, with males constituting 62% of the total out-of-school children. Boys are more likely to face challenges such as grade repetition and dropout, impacting their future choices and roles in society.

Factors like gender expectations and economic pressures contribute to boys’ disengagement from education, leading some to enter apprenticeships or become involved in activities like begging or recruitment by extremist groups in the North.

There is a call for equal attention to the well-being and educational opportunities for boys, alongside efforts for girls’ empowerment, to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

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