The Christian Association of Nigeria CAN has asked parents to warn their children against inviting rapists through their dressing.
Reverend Israel Akanji, Chairman of CAN (North Central Zone), gave the warning when he spoke at a summit with the theme: “Elimination of violence against women and children”, organised by the Women’s Wing of Christian Council of Nigeria, today November 19th.
Rev. Akanji’s statement is coming in the wake of the rape case between Biodun Fatoyinbo and his accuser, Busola Dakolo.
Akanji while speaking to the women, said
“When people wear mini dresses, sometimes they even wear it to church we must speak against it in churches. Some of us try not to talk about it because we feel if we talk to them, they may not return to our churches. The church has to come up with tough measures against indecent dressing; indecent dressing must not be accepted in the church of Christ. Even the Bible teaches that people must dress decently to be in the House of the Lord.
The Bible says thou shall not steal, kill and commit adultery. These are considered to be grievous sins in the Bible, but people who rape, should be considered as very serious criminals. The problem we have in Nigeria is anonymity, people don’t want to talk when raped, parents don’t want their children to say it because they feel it will bring a bad name to their family and that is why it has continued.
If rape cases are reported in good time and adequate measures are taken, a lot of things will change.
I want to appeal to parents that while we are waiting for a law that will deal with rapists (I know that laws exist right now), parents must warn their children. Some children dress in such a way that they appear as if they are inviting rapists to their lives. They are almost naked, they expose body parts that some people cannot control themselves. Let us return to the culture of decent dressing, it may not stop but it will minimize it.”
