Dire poverty has led to an alarming increase in the number of “survival sex” and gender-based violence (GBV) cases – especially in internally displaced persons’ camps – in the Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno State.

Bulama Hassan Dikwa, a community leader, told RNI reporter Rawa Bukar Tela that women living in IDP camps were often particularly vulnerable because many were widows, many had children to bring up, most did not have a job, yet they had to feed and take care of their family.

Young girls were just as vulnerable, if not more so, he said. Often they had to beg on the streets, which put their lives in danger because they could easily get run over by cars, and much of the time men would approach them for sexual favours. They sometimes complied because they were hungry, poor and desperate for money – for food for their families – so they gave in to what has become known as “survival sex”.

Even some married women were forced to have survival sex because they were so poor.

“Poverty has put the lives of girls and women in danger.”

Hassan Dikwa said the rich often used their money to coerce women and girls to have sex, taking advantage of their lives of poverty.

“As the cases keep increasing, community leaders have started to report anyone who impregnates a girl. If they are responsible they have to marry the girl or woman and take care of her. But if they refuse, we take the case to authorities.”

He called on parents to take more care of their children and to watch them closely. They should know with whom their children interacted.

Hassan Dikwa said parents should also ensure their children were provided with both religious and educational knowledge, which would enable them to get out of their lives of poverty.

The incidents of GBV and survival sex was evident in the number of unmarried girls and women who were “obviously pregnant”.

“Some of these girls and women resort to aborting their babies – something that goes strongly against religious and cultural practices of the community.”

Wakil Modu, a resident, attributed the escalation of GBV and survival sex to hunger.

“What is happening is shocking. When I was growing up it was unheard of for women and girls to sell their bodies just so that they could get money to buy food. It goes against our culture, which teaches us to respect women. Nowadays, the poverty rate is so high. Everyone is struggling. Most of us cannot afford to help the poor because we don’t even have money ourselves,” he said.

“Many children have been orphaned because of the insurgency. Their only means of survival is to beg, picking up materials on the street and selling them for some change. They are young and profoundly vulnerable, especially the young girls. Sometimes the girls don’t even know what they are agreeing to when rich men approach them offering money.”

Modu said many people were forced to stop farming – their only means of earning a living – because of attacks by insurgents.

“We used to get up to 200 and 300 bags of food after the harvest. We had more than enough to eat and sell. But, even though the government as directed that we should go back to farming, we cannot harvest our crops because there are insurgents hiding in the bushes. They refuse to allow us to harvest our produce and they take the food for themselves. They will kill us if we try to fight them off.”

The United Nations Children’s Fund said: “Survivors of GBV suffer devastating short- and long-term consequences to their physical and mental health. Women and girls may experience severe physical injuries, unwanted pregnancies and exposure to HIV or other sexually transmitted infections. Depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], the limited ability to complete daily tasks and suicidal thoughts are also common.”

Women and girls in IDP camps were exposed to widespread and severe forms of sexual violence – including survival sex – following their displacement and they continued to be at a disproportionate risk of GBV, including domestic violence, forced child marriage and exploitation and trafficking, UN Women said.

The agency said GBV, including sexual violence and forced child marriages, continued to be reported and were attributed to the conflict, insecurity and poor living conditions in IDP camps and informal settlements. Girls were particularly at risk of child marriage, sexual exploitation, abuse and neglect.

Women’s feelings of insecurity restricted their lives in myriad ways, hampering their health, as well as their civil, political, economic and social rights.

The agency said that as COVID-19 cases continued to strain health services, essential services, such as domestic violence shelters and helplines, had reached capacity.

“More needs to be done to prioritise addressing violence against girls and women in COVID-19 response and recovery efforts,” it said.

Amnesty International’s Osai Ojigho told CNN in June 2020: “No matter where you are in Nigeria, in the north or south, in the city or rural areas, Christian or Muslim, every woman and girl is at risk of rape. Nowhere is safe or immune to this violent crime against women.”

“Girls and women may be forced to trade sex for food, money and other resources they need to survive. And in some places, they are married off early or forcefully to protect or care for their families,” UNICEF said.

It said many survivors were subjected to victim-blaming or ostracised from their families and communities due to social norms. This put them at significant risk of poverty, isolation and further violence.

“Some survivors are forced to marry their perpetrators. Others face retaliation for reporting their experiences or seeking support – including at the hands of family members. At its worst, GBV can result in death, such as in situations of ‘honour killings’,” it said.

AISHA JAMAL