NIGERIAN LAWS ON RAPE CASES.

LAWS ON RAPE: WHAT EVERY NIGERIAN SHOULD KNOW


Posted at 16:23h in Crime and Justice by Admin 0 Comments 

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WHAT IS RAPE?


 


In a nutshell, rape is non-consensual sexual intercourse. When a man has sex with a woman without her consent (in Nigeria – apart from in the FCT Abuja, only women are capable of being raped). Sexual assault is similar to rape, but is not rape. Sexual assault is any form of sexual contact or behavior that occurs without the explicit consent of the recipient. In this article, we will focus on 4 specific laws that deal with rape:


The Criminal Code – this is applicable in all the Southern States


The Penal Code – this is applicable in all the Northern States


The Criminal Laws of Lagos – this is applicable only in Lagos State


The Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act – this is applicable in only the FCT Abuja.


The Child Rights Act – this is only applicable in the States which have domesticated it


 


Criminal Code (CC): Under the CC, rape is when any person has sexual intercourse with a woman or girl, without her consent, or incorrectly obtained consent. Consent can be incorrectly obtained where it is obtained:


by force/threat/intimidation


by means of false and fraudulent representation as to the nature of the act,


by a person impersonating a married woman’s husband in order to have sex


Under the CC, sexual intercourse with under aged girls or people with unsound mind is the offence of defilement, and so technically a person could be charged for rape and defilement.


 


Penal Code (PC): Under the PC, rape is when a man has sexual intercourse with a woman against her will, without her consent, or with incorrectly obtained consent. Consent can be incorrectly obtained where it is obtained:


by putting her in fear of death or hurt


by a person impersonating a married woman’s husband in order to have sex


Further under the PC, sex with a girl under 14 years of age or who is of unsound mind is rape, irrespective of whether there is consent. Also the PC, explicitly states that sexual intercourse by a man with his wife is not rape.


 


Criminal Laws of Lagos (CLL): Under the CLL, rape is when a man has sexual intercourse with a woman or girl without her consent, or with incorrectly obtained consent. Consent can be incorrectly obtained where it is obtained:


by force, impersonation threat or intimidation of any kind


by means of false and fraudulent representation as to the nature of the act,


As with the PC, the CLL explicitly states that sexual intercourse by a man with his wife cannot be unlawful, and therefore a man cannot rape his wife.


It is important to note here that in all 3 laws; rape can only occur when the vagina of the woman is penetrated. However, this does not mean that anal unlawful sexual intercourse is allowed. This is a crime, and is covered under different descriptions in each legislation. The penalty for rape across all the laws is life imprisonment (however this is not a mandatory sentence in all of them).


 


Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPPA): The VAPPA defines rape as when a person intentionally penetrates the vagina, anus or mouth of another person with any other part of his/her body or anything else without consent, or with incorrectly obtained consent. Consent can be incorrectly obtained where it is obtained:


by force/threats/intimidation


by means of false and fraudulent representation as to the nature of the act,


by the use of substances capable of taking away the will of that person


by a person impersonating a married woman’s husband in order to have sex


As you can see, the VAPPA seems like a very progressive piece of legislation. Unfortunately, the law is only applicable in the FCT, Abuja. It does not apply in of the other States of the Federation.


 


5. Child Rights Act (CRA): The CRA provides that sex with a child is rape, and anyone who has sexual intercourse with a child is liable to imprisonment for life upon conviction.


 


HAVE YOU BEEN RAPED OR DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO HAS?


If you’ve been raped or sexually assaulted, then you should not suffer in silence. Rape is a crime in Nigeria, and if you are a victim you should report the matter to ensure that the person is punished, and ensure that the person does not get an opportunity to do it to someone else again in the future.


Reporting rape can be a very emotional and difficult thing to do, so you should consider getting support from organisations like Mirabel Centre – http://mirabelcentre.org/ , where rape and sexual assault victims can get access to forensic medical assistance, and more importantly professional counselling services. They are located at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Ikeja, Lagos, and are open from 9am – 5pm – Monday – Friday, and 10am – 4pm on weekends & Public Holidays. They can also be reached on these numbers: 07013491769, 01-2957816, 08176275732, 08176275695; and on Twitter: @MirabelCentreNG and Facebook: www.facebook.com/MirabelNigeria


 


Thank you for reading this post, if you have found it useful please share with your network using one of the share buttons below. If you have any suggestions or feedback, please send us an email at contact@lawpadi.com


 


We hope you have found this information helpful. Please note that this information is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice. No lawyer-client relationship is formed nor should any such relationship be implied. This answer is not intended to substitute for the advice of a qualified lawyer. If you require legal advice, please consult with a qualified lawyer.


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