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AS part of efforts to protect rape victims, Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP) has set up a sexual assault referral system, Ireti Resource Centre, a centre where cases of abuse in the Alimosho area of Lagos State can be reported and also for victims to access counseling and psycho-social support.
“ Despite this alarming fact, women and girls have been unable to access justice and medical assistance because there were no SGBV service centres within Alimosho where survivors can easily walk in to report cases and receive assistance and support within their vicinity”, she noted.
As a result of this urgent need, she hinted that the organization in partnership with the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption, RoLAC programme of the British Council, is working to increase access to justice in social services for Gender-Based Violence (GBV) survivors in Alimosho local council.
It was established in 2007 with a vision to contribute to the attainment of a society where all women, young girls, and communities enjoy sound health and equal development, and maximum self-actualization. And the strategies to achieving this goal are through Advocacy and Awareness Raising Sessions within identified social structures, capacity building, community dialogues, production, and dissemination of awareness-raising materials where cases of abuses in Alimosho and its environs can be reported.
She further explained that the community town hall meeting is one of the channels to increase access points for citizens of Alimisho to report sexual and gender-based violence incidents, receive support, and to leverage on the priorities identified in the initial meetings held in January 2020, adding that members of the community, individuals, social groups and religious groups must speak up against SGBV in every form to end the scourge of sexual and gender-based violence in Alimosho.
Also speaking, the DPO Igando Police Division, CSP Taiwo Kasumu warned that a man can be imprisoned on the basis of physical assault adding that, the Law provides for the protection of rape victims. “Dressing provocatively has nothing to do with rape whilst it is important for parents to train their children well, it is not a justification for rape.
“The Law is available to protect victims. On our own, we will do our best to ensure the protection of rape victims”, he said.
In his contribution, Council Chairman of Igando/Ikotun LCDA, Elder Ademola Osibeluwo, urged all stakeholders to tackle the issue and nip it on the bud. “We have created an office purposely for SGBV and we are determined. It is an issue that we do not want it to occur again in the community.
“Rape is a serious issue that everyone must be ready to address. We are sensitising people to take care of their children. There is a need to properly train male and female children and give them protection."
Also lending her voice, Mrs Olukemi Dosa, the Chairperson, Lagos State Council of Trade Men and Artisans, LASCOTA, Igando/Ikotun, called for caution on the part of the parents.
On the part of the association, she said, “We have been saddled with the responsibility of sensitizing our members and we’ll tell them how to take care of their children. We will also engage our landlords to ensure surveillance of all those hangouts in the area."
