Stakeholders in Akwa Ibom State are alarmed over the latest statistics on gender-based violence (GBV) in the State.

The latest unnerving figures disclosed by the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Response Department of the State Ministry of Justice has caused a raucous among women and parents in the State.

The report revealed that Akwa Ibom State recorded about 321 cases of gender-based violence including 120 rape cases within the last 11 months, which is between January and November 2023.

It further revealed that only 10 out of the 120 rape cases were reported every month which knowledgeable sources say is an alarmingly high number. However, 18 cases were reported in May while the least, five cases, were reported in September.

170 of the 321 cases were that of spousal battery, a lot of which resulted in physical injury on the victims with the highest number, 39 cases, being recorded in April and the least number, 30 cases, was recorded in January, June and August.

From the available statistics, analysts believe that not every case of gender based violence that occurs in the State is being reported and as such, the number is a lot more than what is currently being reported.

In an interview with some women who attended the flag-off of the16 Days Activism Against Gender Based Violence in Uyo, Kristina Reports learned that a lot of these women themselves have been victims of one form of abuse or the other.

One of the women, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said she was raped severally by her stepfather in Itu Local Government Area and suffered physical abuse from her husband for the nine years that she was married.

“From when I was 13 my mother’s husband used to sleep with me at night when my mother would go for tarry nights. I tried to tell her but she didn’t believe me until one day when she caught him trying to force himself on me.”

“When I got married, my husband beat me every time he was angry. In front of my children and neighbors, sometimes he would lock me out of our house and I would have to go to my church to sleep or I would sleep outside.”

Reacting to the disturbing statistics, wife of the State Governor, Patience Eno, who is also the chairperson of the State Gender-Based Violence Management Committee (GBVMC), said she will do all that is in her power to bring the vice to a complete halt, calling for an all-stakeholder approach the battle against rape.

Speaking during the flag-off of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, Mrs. Eno informed that the State Government has begun clampdown on perpetrators of violence against women in the state.

“Things are going to change; it will not be business as usual. I am calling on our men to support this advocacy by saying no to rape and all forms of abuse against women and the girl child. Let’s put an end to this menace.”

She warned that culpable rapists and paedophiles risk heavy penalties as drastic measures have been put in place to contain the upsurge in the menace, stressing that the fight would be sustained through consistent campaigns and exposure of GBV issues across the 31 local government areas of the state.