WITH the passage of the Sexual Offences Bill, unanimously, by the country’s lawmakers and the expected presidential assent, the judicial stage will then be set for the prosecution of sexual predators. It is time that these monsters face the bar of justice against a comprehensive set of laws, specially designed for their category. Parliamentarians must be congratulated. No less was expected.

Minister Frank Anthony’s comments about the ‘sugar daddys’ and their evil guile in trapping their young victims especially, is absolutely true. And it brings into sharp focus the home and the role of parents.

It is my profound belief that the ‘sugar daddies’ have been flourishing because of the mostly depressed circumstances of their victims, many of them orphans, and also products of broken homes. These unfortunate circumstances present opportune conditions for the exploitation of these mostly unsupervised, uncared for, young girls. This is the scenario that observes many parents generally surrendering their very young daughters to the ‘care’ of these wolves in sheep clothing. And these wolves usually buy the former’s acquiescence and silence to the criminal abuse that their trapped daughters endure. This is the category that knowingly consents. Then there is another scenario of parents giving indirect support to their young daughters drift into this sexual trap, by not enquiring or questioning the changed material circumstances that they observe.

Notwithstanding the economic challenges, many of these parents, I contend, could have done better, rather than throwing their young girls to these monsters, readily. Too many parents, especially fathers, have been letting their children down, by abdicating their responsibilities. Many fathers simply do not comprehend the consequences of abandoning their families. Many young girls have found themselves in the grip of these sugar daddies because of such a domestic situation.  No doubt, females are surpassing males in terms of the HIV/AIDS infection rate.

Finally, parents, both mothers and fathers, must understand the implications of their responsibilities. They have to go the extra mile for the material and moral growth and development of their families. Too many, have been delinquent; and because of such irresponsibility, the ‘sugar daddies’ have been feasting on their helpless young daughters.