Tag Archives: CHILD ABUSE

LASG plans policy implementation against child abuse

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The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode has announced ratification of Executive Order establishing a Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy as a catalyst for driving awareness and commitment of all stakeholders towards protection of children.

The State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Adeniji Kazeem, in a statement on Thursday, disclosed that the Programme was developed to prescribe management systems in place to create and maintain a safe environment for children, adding that the policy also articulates procedures to be adopted when disclosures of abuse are made.

Kazeem said the Executive Order which was signed by the Governor on December 16, 2016 highlighted emphasis which present administration placed on protecting lives of all children in the State.

The Commissioner for Justice, who said the order applies to state government organisations, public and private schools, child-centred institutions, and orphanages in the state, stressed that the policy also provides steps that must be followed in case of a disclosure, role of Designated Child Protection and Safeguarding Officer, and process of reporting and dealing with allegations of abuse against members of staff.

He said the Executive Order now makes it mandatory for Child Protection policy to be integrated into the induction programme of newly recruited staff into child-centred institutions.

“As regards employment of staff, it is now mandatory for all child-centred institutions to conduct detailed background checks.

“Ultimately, the ratification of this Executive Order, would reduce and possibly eliminate incidences of child abuse, establish a culture of early identification of trends and effective intervention to limit the occurrence of cases,” he said.

The Attorney General added that in the next coming months, the state government would drive adoption of the policy to ensure that all child-centred institutions adopt and adhere strictly to provisions of the Order, while electronic copies would be made available on the State’s Website and other relevant social media platforms to ensure proper dissemination.

“The State Government therefore uses this medium to sound a very clear warning to all child-centred institutions both public and private, that it would no longer tolerate negligence in ensuring safety of children under their supervision.

“Failure to adhere to the content of the policy would warrant significant repercussions varying from withdrawal of licenses to filing of criminal charges due to negligence,” Kazeem warned.

784, 413 children victims of sexual abuse every year in Lagos – Mrs. Bola Tinubu

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Stakeholders in child protection have called for a synergy to tackle the increase in child sexual abuse and violence in Lagos State, menace.

They also urged the Police, Ministry of Justice, Office of the Public Defender (OPD), human rights and non-governmental organisations to ensure a reduction in the alarming rate of cases.

At a stakeholder’s forum organised by the Cece Yara Foundation, its Founder, Mrs. Bola Tinubu, said official statistics show that one in four girls would be sexually abused before they reach the age of 18.

“We have calculated that 784,413 children in Lagos state alone experience sexual abuse every year, meaning 65, 367 children a month and 2,149 children a day.”

She further noted that children could not seek help and suffer in silence due to threat, confusion, fear or shame, adding: “We have families who shy away from exposing their child to the investigation and prosecution process due to stigma and trauma involved. We need to assure them as they embark on this journey.

“So, I commend the Lagos State government for being in the forefront of the multidisciplinary approach and support for victims through the domestic and sexual violence response team, among other activities by NGOs.”

Mrs. Tinubu called for safe platforms to encourage children to speak out about their experiences, support their access to justice throughout their case and provision of community based psychosocial support to children who have experienced violence and their caregivers.

While harping on the need for more shelters to accommodate abused children and their families, she encouraged law enforcement agencies to seek the assistance of NGOs to ensure total rehabilitation of victims.

FBI clears Brad Pitt over child abuse claim

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Brad Pitt has been cleared after a probe into allegations he mistreated one of his children in a mid-air altercation, the FBI said on Tuesday.

The claims centered on an alleged incident with his 15-year-old son Maddox in September on a flight from France to Los Angeles. Pitt’s wife Angelina Jolie claimed he had struck the boy.

“In response to allegations made following a flight… carrying Mr. Brad Pitt and his children, the FBI has conducted a review of the circumstances and will not pursue further investigation,” the agency said in a statement.

“No charges have been filed in this matter.”

The announcement marks Pitt’s second vindication over the incident, two weeks after Los Angeles social workers cleared the 52-year-old of wrongdoing following interviews with the couple, their children and witnesses.

Jolie, 41, filed for divorce in September, citing irreconcilable differences. She is seeking sole custody of their six children.

Pitt, who won a best film Oscar for producing “12 Years a Slave” (2013), has been in contact with all six of the couple’s children and is seeking joint legal and physical custody.

The reunions were supervised by a therapist as part of the couple’s temporary custody agreement — mediated by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services — which was recently extended.

Under the agreement Jolie had physical custody of the children — three of whom, including Maddox, are adopted — at a rented LA house.

The A-listers — given the celebrity moniker “Brangelina” — wed in France in August two years ago, but had been a couple since 2004.

AFP reached out to Pitt’s representative, who declined to comment.

Brad Pitt Has Reportedly Been Cleared of Child Abuse Allegations

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An investigation into whether Brad Pitt was abusive toward his son on a private flight in September says the case has been closed with no finding of abuse by the actor, a source familiar with the inquiry said Wednesday.

The source, who was not authorized to speak publicly, told The Associated Press that the investigation was closed within the past few days.

Multiples sources have said the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services had been looking into allegations Pitt was abusive toward his 15-year-old son on the flight in mid-September. Pitt’s wife, Angelina Jolie Pitt, filed for divorce days after the incident, and her attorney said it was “for the health of the family.”

A department spokesman said the agency could not confirm it investigated Pitt.

Custody of the actors’ six children has been the primary issue in their divorce. Jolie Pitt is seeking sole custody of the children, while Pitt is seeking joint custody.

Pitt has had visitation with his children under terms agreed upon by the former couple. Jolie Pitt’s representatives said Monday that an agreement on custody had been reached, although a final agreement will be part of the couple’s divorce judgment when it is entered.

California law favors joint custody, although details about custody arrangements are rarely made public in celebrity divorce cases.

A representative for Jolie said the actress is relieved that the inquiry is over and that the custody arrangements in place will allow the children to heal.

A representative for Pitt declined comment.

Pitt and Jolie were married for two years and together for 12 years after becoming close while filming 2005’s “Mr. & Mrs. Smith.”

Credit: Cosmopolitan

Child Abuse : UN Uncovers Fresh Claims In CAR

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The UN rights chief Friday expressed alarm at new allegations of child abuse by foreign peacekeepers in the troubled Central African Republic, including cases involving European Union troops.

“Four of the girls said their abusers were attached to contingents operating as part of the European Union operation,” Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said, adding that he was “extremely alarmed at continuing allegations.”

Last year, allegations of sex abuse were levelled at soldiers serving with French and UN missions in the country.

Man Arrested For Having Sex With His 14 Year Old Daughter In Lagos

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The Lagos state police command has arrested a 49 year old plank seller and father, Adeboye Adesola (pictured right) for allegedly having sex with his 14 year old daughter (pictured left) who is in SS1.

The girl said she moved in with her father and his new wife in a one-room apartment in Ikorodu after she lost her mother. According to Daily Independent, the girl alleged that he first had sex with her in November 2014 and tried it again in March 2015 immediately after he separated from her stepmother. He slept with her claiming he wanted to see if she was still a virgin.

 After the second encounter, she ran away from home and  took refuge in a church where she told a pastor what her father had done to her. The pastor and other church leaders reported the case at the Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos on May 20th. Her father was arrested on May 21st.

“My mother died when I was three years old. We were six in number living in the room, my father, his new wife, my younger brother and my two half sisters. My mom died in 2007. She gave birth to me and my brother. It all started in 2014. He used to check my private part to see if I had started menstruating or having sex with men. I was sleeping in the midnight, he removed my wrapper. By then, my step mother had packed out of his house because she was accused of dating other men in the compound. He inserted his finger in my private part and asked me if I had started menstruation, I said no. He asked if I have had sex before and I said no. He said he would use his penis to test it. He climbed on me, I wanted to scream, but he held my mouth. I bled from that night till the following day. I felt very bad but he warned me that nobody must hear what he did to me. He repeated it again on 5th March, 2015. He did it between 9pm and 10pm. He used condom in the first one. This time, he asked me to remove my clothe and lie on the bed. It was a Thursday night, I could not bear it anymore. So the following day, I packed my things and left the house. I dropped a note that he should not look for me. I moved to a nearby church and stayed there. My uncle took me to the church and the members brought me to the police station after I told them what my dad did to me.”the girl said.

When interrogated, her father blamed the devil for his action

“The day I was brought here (police station), I was thoroughly beaten by members of the O’odua People’s Congress (OPC) who forced me to confess that I had canal knowledge of my daughter. But here in the police station, nobody beat me. I told the Oga that it was devil’s work. Oga, I’m sorry, pity me. I’m from poor family. I am the only one taking care of them. Forgive me for whatever happened, I did not know what happened.”

New Law Bars Using Under-12 Children For House Help

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The new Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015 newly assented by President Goodluck Jonathan has barred the engagement of children under 12 years of age as domestic help.
Director-General of the National Agency for Prohibition of Traffic in Person, Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba, told journalists at her office in Abuja on Thursday that the new law prescribed between two to 10 years jail term for such offenders.
According to Jedy-Agba, the new law imposes stiffer penalties on human trafficking offenders, adding that the abuse and exploitation of children under 12 years old who are being used as domestic help are aggravating circumstances that attract higher jail terms.
She said, “What we have done is to introduce a minimum sentence status. For instance, if you engage a child of below 12 years, there is compulsory imprisonment of not less than two years. There is no option of fine. The fine is in addition to imprisonment.

Ugandan Maid Pleads Guilty To Child Abuse

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The Uganda maid who was filmed battering that little girl a few weeks ago was in court today Dec. 8th where she pleaded guilty to child abuse.

Jolly Tumuhirwe, 22, who was in court with her mum, asked her parents, the girl’s parents and all of Uganda to forgive her.

According to the BBC, the girl’s father Eric Kamanzi broke down in court when Jolly asked for forgiveness. Jolly faces up to 15 years in prison for the crime or a fine of about $400 (£260) or both.

Her case was adjourned to Wednesday December 10th when the judge is expected to sentence her. She was led away in cuffs by prison officers after the session this morning.

Source – Global news