Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Youth Sexual Exploitation in Nigeria: Pathway Influencers and Crossroad Solutions for an Undercarpet Menace

  • Published:
Current Pediatrics Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

This study highlights the prevalence of sexual exploitation of young people in Nigeria, as well as its contributing factors, impact, and potential solutions, based on the evidence currently available.

Recent Findings

Recent developments include the adoption of guidelines and a national action plan to combat online child sexual exploitation and violence against children, with the integration of Sexual Exploitation of Children into the National Child Act and the Nigerian Child Online Protection Policy (NCOP) of 2012.

Summary

In Nigeria, youth sexual exploitation is a great problem, that has not historically received exposure and has not been part of public discussions. There are numerous factors involved. Few policies are in existence in the country, though not still implemented due to under-reporting of cases. In order to achieve successful outcome, concerns of sexual exploitation of Nigerian youth should be resolved, utilizing evidence-based techniques and strategies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Data Availability

All data supporting the findings of this study are available within the paper and its supplementary information. Data citations include DOI and other online access links in the reference section.

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

  1. • UNHCR (2023). What is sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment? [online] Available at: https://www.unhcr.org/what-we-do/how-we-work/tackling-sexual-exploitation-and-harassment/what-sexual-exploitation. Accessed 11 Jun 2023. An intergovernmental agency resource.

  2. World Health Organization. Sexual Exploitation and Abuse. [online] Available at: https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/documents/ethics/sexual-exploitation-and-abuse-pamphlet-en.pdf?sfvrsn=409b4d89_2. Accessed 11 Jun 2023.

  3. Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. Preventing sexual exploitation of children and youth. British Columbia; [online]. Available at: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/crime-prevention/community-crime-prevention/exploitation. Accessed 11 Jun 2023.

  4. National Children’s Advocacy Center (NCAC). Effects of youth exploitation. August 2022 [online]. Available at: https://calio.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Effects-of-Youth-Exploitation.pdf. Accessed 30 Apr 2023.

  5. •• Okunlola OB, Gesinde AM, Nwabueze AC, Okojide A. Review of child and adolescent sexual abuse in Nigeria: implications for 21st century counsellors. Covenant Int J Psychol (CIJP). 2020;5:1. An interesting review paper based on local and international evidence.

    Google Scholar 

  6. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2017. Administration for children and families, administration on children, youth and families, Children’s Bureau. Child Maltreatment 2015. Available at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/research-data-technology/statistics-research/child-maltreatment. Accessed 7 Apr 2023.

  7. First World Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, 1996. Declaration and Agenda for Action. Available at: www.ecpat.net/sites/default/files/stockholm_declaration_1996. Accessed 7 Apr 2023.

  8. Wurtele SK, Miller-Perrin C, 2014. Preventing technology-initiated sexual victimization of youth: a developmental perspective. In: Kenny, M.C. (Ed.), Sex Education: Attitude of Adolescents, Cultural Differences and Schools’ Challenges. Nova, New York: Nova, 147–175.

  9. • UNICEF. Action to end child sexual abuse and exploitation. UNICEF Child Protection Section Programme Division 3 United Nations Plaza New York, NY 10017 Email: childprotection@unicef.org Website: www.unicef.org © United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) December 2020. An intergovernmental agency evidence.

  10. Barth J, Bermetz L, Heim E, Trelle S, Tonia T. The current prevalence of child sexual abuse worldwide: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Public Health. 2013;58:469–83. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-012-0426-1.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community Report (2011). Child sexual abuse in Sub-saharan Africa: a review of the literature. https://www.svri.org/sites/default/files/attachments/2016-07-16/Draft%20Child%20Sexual%20Abuse%20In%20SubSaharan%20Africa%20A%20Review%20Of%20The%20Literature.pdf. Accessed 8 Apr 2023.

  12. Odu B, Falana BA, Olotu OA. Prevalence of violent sexual assault on South West Nigeria girls. Eur Sci J. 2014;10(7):471–81. https://doi.org/10.19044/esj.2014.v10n7p/25p.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Odeyemi KA, Onajole AT, Ogunnowo BE. Sexual behavior and the influencing factors among out of school female adolescents in Mushin market, Lagos. Nigeria Int J Adolesc Med Health. 2009;21(1):101–9. https://doi.org/10.1515/ijamh.2009.21.1.101.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Ikechebelu JI, Udigwe GO, Ezechukwu CC, Ndinechi AG, Joe-Ikechebelu NN. Sexual abuse among juvenile female street hawkers in Anambra State Nigeria. Afr J Reprod Health. 2008;12(2):111-119 15.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. UNICEF. Ending Violence Against Children in Nigeria, a year of action progress report on the implementation of priority actions to end violence against children (2015–2016). 2016:36;2–8.

  16. Bugaje MA, Ogunrinde GO, Faruk JA. Child sexual abuse in Zaria. Northwestern Nigeria Niger Journal of Paediatrics. 2012;39(3):110–4. https://doi.org/10.4314/njp.v39i3.4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. IOM (Institute of Medicine) and NRC (National Research Council). Confronting commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking of minors in the United States. Washington, D.C.: The National Academies Press; 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Bryan, C. What judges need to know about human sex trafficking: screening and assessment and matching to empirically based treatment. Presented at the NCJFCJ Annual Conference July 14, 2014, Chicago, Ill.

  19. Greenbaum J (2014) Child sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. Presented at the Annual NCJFCJ Conference Chicago, Ill.

  20. Smallbone S, Cale J. Situational Theories. In: The Wiley handbook on the theories, assessment, and treatment of sexual offending. [online] Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781118574003.wattso014. Accessed 11 Jun 2023.

  21. Brown J, Saied-Tessier A. Preventing child sexual abuse: towards a national strategy for England. London, UK: National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children; 2015.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Bowlby J. Development Psychiatry comes of age. Am J Psychiatry. 1988;145(1):1–10. https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.145.1.1.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. •• Emeka ID, Odika BT, Nweke GI. Sexual violence in Nigeria: a challenge to sustainable national security and development. JUPEB J Dev Educ Stud (JJDES). 2022;1(1):76–86. A review paper based on evidence and contextual implications.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Estes RJ, Neil AW. 2001. The commercial sexual exploitation of children in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Philadelphia, Pa.: University of Pennsylvania, School of Social Work, Center for the Study of Youth Policy.

  25. Kiss L, Fotheringhame D, Kyegombe N, et al. Paper: violence, abuse and exploitation among trafficked women and girls: a mixed-methods study in Nigeria and Uganda. BMC Public Health 2022; 22(794). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13021-2.

  26. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) 1990. [online] Available at: www.unicef.org/crc/files/Right. Accessed 25 Apr 2023.

  27. National Bureau of Statistics. Annual Abstract of Statistics, 2017. Available at www.nigerianstat.gov.ng. Accessed 11 Jun 2023.

  28. •• Omidoyin TJ, Awosusi BD. Prevailing acts of sexual abuse in Nigeria: looking inwards for a way forward. Global J Polit Law Res. 2021;9(7):47–60. https://doi.org/10.37745/gjplr.2013. A interesting review based on primary and secondary sources of evidence.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Ogunyemi B. Knowledge and perception of child sexual abuse in urban Nigeria: some evidence from a community-based project. Afr J Reprod Health. 2000;4(2):44–52. https://doi.org/10.2307/3583447.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Agazue C. He told me that my waist and private parts have been ravaged by demons: sexual exploitation of female church members by prophets in Nigeria. Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence. 2016;1(1):10 https://doi.org/10.23860/dignity.2016.01.01.10.

  31. Lois MO. 6 Geopolitical zones in Nigeria (States and Ethnic Groups). Information To Know. Available at: http://www.informationtoknow.com.  Accessed 11 June 2023

  32. •• Garba AS. Child sexual abuse in Kaduna State, Northwestern Nigeria: a review of 420 police-reported cases. J Child Sex Abus. 2023;32(2):241–58. https://doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2023.2170844. An interesting local primary study based on police reported cases.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. • Adewole N, Musa C, Bilal S, Isa DA, Adebayo FO. Trends and pattern of sexual assault in North Central Nigeria. Afr J Reprod Health. 2021;25(5):79–83. A retrospective study based on hospital records.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Ojengbede O, Babawarun T, Olayiwola O, Ogun M, Kongnyuy E, Adorin O. Sexual and gender-based violence in camps for internally displaced people and host communities in northeast Nigeria: a mixed methods study. Lancet Global Health 2019;7(S6). https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(19)30091-9.

  35. David N, Ezechi O, Wapmuk A, Gbajabiamila T, Ohihoin A, Herbertson E, Odeyemi K. Child sexual abuse and disclosure in South Western Nigeria: a community based study. Afri Health Sci. 2018;18(2):199–208. https://doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v18i2.2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Akinlusi FM, Rabiu KA, Olawepo TA, Adewunmi AA, Ottun TA, Akinola OI. Sexual assault in Lagos, Nigeria: a five year retrospective review. BMC Women’s Health 2014;14:115. https://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6874/14/115. Accessed 11 Apr 2023.

  37. Gabriel-Job N, Alikor EAD, Akani NA. Prevalence of child sexual abuse among secondary school adolescents in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. Niger J Paediatr. 2019;46(4):156. https://doi.org/10.4314/njp.v6i4.1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Manyike PC, Chinawa JM, Elias A, Udechukwu NP, Odutola OI, Awoere CT. Child sexual abuse among adolescents in southeast Nigeria: a concealed public health behavioral issue. Pak J Med Sci. 2015;31(4):827–32. https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.314.7115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. • Idoko CA, Nwobodo E, Idoko CI. Trends in rape cases in a Nigerian state. Afr Health Sci. 2020;20(2):668–75. https://doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v20i2.17. An interesting review based on previous studies over a 3 year period.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  40. Government of Nigeria. Child’s Right Act, 2003. Available at http://www.placng.org/new/laws/C50.pdf. Accessed 4 Jun 2023.

  41. The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Abuja. Progress report on violence against children 2014–2015;5:4–5.

  42. End Violence Against Children, Nigeria. Progress report on the implementation of priority actions to end violence against children 2015–2016. 4–5.

  43. National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). Update on Nigerian child online protection. [online] Available at: https://studylib.net/doc/12906103/update-on-nigerian-child-online-protection. Accessed 6 Jun 2023.

  44. Statista. Number of internet users in selected countries in Africa as of June 2017, by country (in millions). Available at https://www.statista.com/statistics/505883/number-of-internet-users-inafrican-countries/. Accessed 7 Jun 2023.

  45. Human Rights Council. Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review: Nigeria. Available at https://documents-ddsny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G13/190/10/PDF/G1319010.pdf?OpenElement. Accessed 7 Jun 2023.

  46. Hounmenou C. Commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking of children in the West African Region. In: Shelley L, editor. Handbook of human trafficking and modern-day slavery. Cham: Springer; 2019. p. 360–82.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  47. Nguyen KH, Padilla M, Villaveces A, Patel P, Atuchukwu V, Onotu D, Apondi R, Aluzimbi G, Chipimo P, Kancheya N, Kress H. Coerced and forced sexual initiation and its association with negative health outcomes among youth: results from the Nigeria, Uganda, and Zambia violence against children surveys. Child Abuse Negl. 2019;96:104074. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.104074.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  48. National Child Traumatic Network (NCTN). Effects [Internet]. n.d. Available at: https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/trauma-types/sexual-abuse/effects. Accessed 30 Apr 2023.

  49. • Mensah E, Aboh R, Nsebot U. When sugar is no longer sweet: the discourse of regret in sugar relationships among female youth in Nigeria. Sex Cult. 2022;26(4):1380–402. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-022-09948-8. An elegant primary study based on qualitative method.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Romano JL. Prevention psychology: enhancing personal and social well-being. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association; 2015.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  51. Wurtele SK. Behavioral approaches to educating young children and their parents about child sexual abuse prevention. J BehavAnal Offender Victim Treat Prev. 2008;1(1):52–64. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0100434.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. Fleming, M. The importance of early childhood education. Philips Brooks School available at https://www.phillipsbrooks.org/post. Accessed 28 Apr 2023.

  53. Mendelson T, Letourneau EJ. Parent-focused prevention of child sexual abuse. Prev Sci. 2015;16:844–52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-015-0553-z.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Babatsikos G. Parents’ knowledge, attitudes and practices about preventing child sexual abuse: a literature review. Child Abuse Rev. 2010;19(2):107–29. https://doi.org/10.1002/car.1102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. Wurtele SK. Preventing the sexual exploitation of minors in youth-serving organizations. Child Youth Serv Rev. 2012;34:2442–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.09.009.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  56. Miller-Perrin C, Wurtele SK. Sex trafficking and the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Women Ther. 2017;40(1–2):123–51. https://doi.org/10.1080/02703149.2016.1210963.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  57. Madumere N. Public enlightenment and participation — a major contribution in mitigating climate change. Int J Sustain Built Environ. 2016;6(1):11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsbe.2016.10.003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  58. Omidoyin TJ. (2016). Internet and the law: online dispute resolution mechanism as an alternative to dispute resolution in Nigeria. 3rd EKSU International Conference and Research Fair. Book of Proceedings-Humanities Based Disciplines 102–136.

  59. Salem AAMS, Al-Huwailah AH, Abdelsattar M, Al-Hamdan NAH, Derar E, Alazmi S, Abu-Al-Diyar M, Griffiths MD. Empathy skills training as a means of reducing cyberbullying among adolescents: an Empirical evaluation. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(3):1846.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  60. Montoya MN, Feinberg EC. My body, whose choice? Fertil Steril. 2022;117(3):485–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.12.018.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  61. Setty E. Educating teenage boys about consent: the law and affirmative consent in boys’ socio-sexual cultures and subjectivities. Sex Roles. 2022;87:515–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  62. Statista Research Department. Prevalence of sexual violence in Nigeria in 2018, by state. February 1, 2022[online] Available at: https://statista.com. Accessed 17 Jun 2023.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Akeem Opeyemi Akinbode.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Akinbode, A.O., Udoh, S.B., Eseigbe, P. et al. Youth Sexual Exploitation in Nigeria: Pathway Influencers and Crossroad Solutions for an Undercarpet Menace. Curr Pediatr Rep 11, 51–60 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40124-023-00293-4

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40124-023-00293-4

Keywords

Navigation