The Oxford Learners Dictionary defines rape as the act of forcing sexual intercourse or sexual activities on another person.

Not too long ago, the parliament of Morocco unanimously amended the article of the Penal code that allowed the rapists of under aged girls to avoid prosecution by marrying their victims.

Morocco’s Islamist-led government first proposed it.

The issue came into prominence in 20132 when a sixteen-year-old Amina Fulali committed suicide after being forced to marry a man that raped her.

The Moroccan parliament then voted unanimously to alter the relevant the law.

Moreover, the case of an Indian woman who was raped by a gang and eventually killed prompted Indian authorities to launch handguns for women in self-defense.

IN Nigeria, cases of rape of under aged girls are on the rise. Also on the rise are the cases of pastors who rape their church members yet it appears as though the Nigerian government is helpless regarding the situation.

For Catholic Archbishop of Nigeria, John Cardinal Onaiyekan,

“That is a grievous crime that deserves special law, more serious law than same-sex marriage law.”

Between 2003 and 2010, some countries of the world have these recorded statistics on rape:

-India has a record of 141,713 cases

-USA tops the list with 735,548 cases

In Africa, Guinea has the lowest record of 92 cases.

On the 24^th of October 2013, an eighteen-year-old, who was allegedly raped by three boys committed suicide in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state.

Experts wonder why the government was so sympathetic with the practice of homosexuality and waited only recently to sign the anti-gay bill into law.

Shouldn’t action against rape have been treated as equally important?

While condemning the act in the strongest sense, a cross-section of Nigerian clerics urge the citizens, especially women, to rise up to this inherent challenge.

For these people, rapists “should be treated like armed robbers” because “they are snatching people’s rights`’. These cardinals are therefor advocating capital punishment for those found guilty of rape.

If some drastic measures are not taken, we may one day hear that the daughter or wife of a highly placed Nigerian has been raped.

Usually, they should be followed with serious investigation and manhunt but the point is should the society wait for when the affluent are affected before pre-emptive action?