Thursday, June 12, 2020, the sorrowful but determined voices of aggrieved protesters denouncing the incessant cases of rape in the country filled the streets of Benin City. More than 200 protesters gathered and marched across the streets holding protest signs – specifically addressing the rape and gruesome murder of Uwaila Vera Omozuwa, a 100 Level student of the University of Benin.

Organizers of the rally, GWSD in partnership with the Ministry of Social Development and Gender Justice steered protesters to the secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalist and Edo State House of Assembly calling for more stringent laws to protect women against rape.

Speaking to participants, Mariam Kadiri Ezolome, Executive Director, GWSD described the issue of rape as a crime against humanity which should be handled with all seriousness while also advocating for a revision to the existing laws to accommodate more severe forms of punishments for rape offenders.

At Edo State House of Assembly, one of the protest mustering points, the Speaker of the House, Frank Okiye, decried the incessant incidence of rape and assured the protesters that the law will take its full course in the case of Uwaila Vera Omozuwa.