On Sunday, June 30th, 2024, students of the College of Medicine University of Lagos flooded Twitter with alarming accounts of sexual assault pervasive within the College of Medicine, using the hashtag #EndSACultureInCMUL. The online outcry revealed the shocking prevalence of these incidents, sparking urgent calls for action and reform of the school sexual assault policy
What Happened?
One victim is said to have reported the assault to the school’s Dean of Student Affairs, who failed to take commensurate action. In response, the student body imposed a meager fine and demanded an apology letter. The alleged serial offender, accused of assaulting multiple students in the College of Medicine, was required to pay a sum of 5,000 naira (approximately $3 USD) for his offense.
Shockingly, the university policy allows first-time offenders to pay just 2,500 naira for sexual assault against peers. The doubled fine only reflected the perpetrator’s alleged repeat offenses. In another case, when news of an assaulted pharmacy student reached the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian Students’ sub-dean, the only action taken was a vague message in a group chat advising male pharmacy students to reign their emotions in and “mind your conduct with the opposite sex.”
Despite these serious allegations, the accused perpetrators continue to participate freely in regular school activities, including sports and social events. Most disturbingly, they remain housed in mixed-gender dormitories, potentially putting more female students at risk.
In the wake of the initial tweet, several victims have come forward with compelling evidence, not only incriminating the alleged perpetrators but also implicating the University of Lagos management in a systematic cover-up, as well as some lecturers within the school. The administration mandates that every undergraduate sign an indemnity form, effectively gagging them from all forms of protest under threat of expulsion.
Silenced and fearful, students resort to social media, hiding behind anonymous profiles to voice their concerns, living in perpetual fear not just of sexual assault, but of an education system that seems to prioritize its reputation over student safety. Victims are left with no recourse but to suffer in silence, knowing that their traumatic experiences will likely result in nothing more than a token fine of 5,000 naira paid by their assailants.
What Is Being Done About It?
The movement is gaining momentum on social media, centering a petition that aims to fundamentally reshape the consequences for sexual assault perpetrators within the university. The petition calls for withholding of professional licenses from students found guilty of sexual assault, compelling the institution to implement effective punishments and prevent these individuals from entering the healthcare profession. This proposed measure draws inspiration from an existing policy in the Faculty of Law, where students facing disciplinary panels for malpractice risk losing their eligibility for legal licensing.
Notably, established anti-violence organizations such as LagosDVSA (Lagos Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency) and WARDC have thrown their support behind this initiative, lending credibility and resources to the cause. Their involvement signals a broader recognition of the urgent need to address campus sexual assault and hold perpetrators accountable.
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