We Won’t Tolerate Sexual Abuse In Our Society, Especially Higher Institutions – Rev (Mrs.) Otu
Emmanuel Alfred
The Office of the Wife of the Governor of Cross River State, Rev. (Mrs.) Eyoanwan Bassey Otu, is closely following the case of Professor Cyril Ndifon, a lecturer in the University of Calabar and Dean of the Faculty of Law, over allegations of sexual harassment, abuse and exploitation of female students spanning several years.
The plethora of allegations is worrying and should be concerning to any decent and God-fearing individual and institution.
As a person, Rev. Eyoanwan Bassey Otu and her office is committed to humanity-first. These allegations are weighty and deserve thorough investigation and prosecution of the individual if a prima facie case is established against him.
The Wife of the Governor reiterates her commitment to continue to fight for the rights of survivors of sexual and gender based violence, as well as create a culture of safety and respect for all women, youths, and children in Cross River State .
As an advocate against all forms of gender based violence and molestation, she stands in solidarity with all survivors of sexual abuse in all institutions, especially in universities.
Sexual abuse is a serious crime that has devastating consequences on survivors, both personally and professionally. It causes physical and emotional torture and can have a lasting impact on a survivor’s academic and professional life.
We understand that sexual abuse is often under-reported and survivors are stigmatized. However, we would like to encourage survivors to speak up and come out to get the help they need.
The office of the Wife of the Governor is working assiduously to provide resources for help, including counselling, legal assistance, and support groups.
We, therefore, call on the management and students of institutions of higher learning to do more on advocacy to prevent sexual abuse.
We urge everyone to join the Wife of the Governor to stand in solidarity with survivors of sexual abuse, and together, we can create a world where everyone is safe and respected.
