Abuse in all its forms are a daily reality for many Nigerian children and only a fraction ever receive help. Six out of every 10 children experience some form of violence. About 10 per cent of boys have been victims of sexual violence. Of the children who reported violence, fewer than five out of a 100 received any form of support.<\/p>\n
Male children being abused are stories under reported , especially in Africa .The reason for this story is to draw the attention of the general public towards paying more attention to the male child as the stereotype created in Africa especially, places the male on a high pedestal which makes them feel they should be superheroes and never be vulnerable.<\/p>\n
Section 277 of the Nigerian Child Rights Act, 2003 defines a child as a person who has not attained the age of eighteen years. According to Wikipedia<\/em>, Child abuse is physical, sexual, and psychological neglect of a child or children, especially by a parent or caregiver. Child abuse may include any act or failure to act by a parent or caregiver that results in actual or potential harm to a child and can occur in a child\u2019s home, or in the organization, schools, or communities the child interacts with.<\/p>\n Child molestation\/Child sexual abuse as a form of child abuse where an adult or an older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include engaging in sexual activities with a child (whether by asking or pressuring or by any other means), indecent exposure (of the genitals, female nipple, etc.), child grooming, and child sexual exploitation, including using a child to produce child pornography.<\/p>\n Coming from a polygamous family, Collins had to share almost everything with a sibling or two including bed space . At age 5 his predicament started when his step sister with whom he shared bed space started touch to him at night . He recalled ” when I sleep at night , I feel hands on my genitals , when I wake up and ask her why she keeps touching me , she says I do not wash my private part well when bathing and she is trying to confirm” . He did not feel comfortable with the new development of “checking his genitals to confirm if he bathed”.<\/p>\n “She kept on with it and even told our dad I do not bathe well and that I smell, then she asked to bathe me and my dad agreed to it. When she bathed me, she concentrated on my genital. I did not want to think much about it and it became normal till age 7 when my mum asked her to stop bathing me”. The abuser usually tries to make the child feel comfortable with them so they could continue the abuse for as long as possible.<\/p>\n “She later travelled to learn tailoring at my aunts place at Ibadan, but she returned after two years , I was 10 or so, she touched me that night she came and said, I have grown ooh, she asked if I bathe well now all these while touching my genital, it went on as usual. When I was 13 , when we were having a conversation , she said something ,she said now as big as I am , do I not know I can satisfy a woman in bed and I am behaving like a child, this caught my attention.”<\/p>\n He went further “I never knew it was abuse till I heard of a similar situation at school when I was 13, I also remember when she touched me and touched herself at the same till I heard her say she was wet, I also noticed my penis was standing ,Ii knew I had to stop it and threatened to report and she manipulated me to thinking I would be blamed so I kept shut, I am not seeking justice or anything , I feel I also encouraged it by not speaking up. I only want the world to know that the male gender is also at risk of abuse and for parents to listen and pay more attention to not just the female child alone”.<\/p>\n Abuja City Journa<\/em>l reached out to five different boys who have gone through same or similar situation but only one responded , this is a clear proof that many abused boys fear or do not see the need to speak out as they feel justice wont be served. Collins today is an Electrical Engineer, when asked how the abuse affected him, he said “I developed high libido , and ended up always touching myself, I started having penetrative sex as early as 14 , it continued for several years , till I got infected with an STI . I did not have any sexual knowledge or orientation , I just knew that when I felt some type of way, I had to satisfy myself. I was able to get help from a teacher of mine who noticed my behaviour , he helped me , educated me , even prayed with me . Today I am an established Electrical Engineer, I have self control and God is blessing me “<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Abuse in all its forms are a daily reality for many Nigerian children and only a fraction ever receive help. Six out of every 10 children experience some form of violence. About 10 per cent of boys have been victims of sexual violence. 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\nFrom an anonymous victim, he said “why will I tell my story , does it not sound funny to you ? I feel it’s normal , I am a man I can’t go round telling my story. I am not a cry baby.”<\/p>\n