Images of the DSVA’s Local Government Town Hall Meeting on Sexual and Gender-based Violence held at Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area of the State.The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) has extended its local government town hall meetings on Sexual and Gender-based Violence to Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area in order to address the rising cases of domestic and sexual violence in the State.
In her address during the outreach programme with the theme: “It’s on us to End Sexual and Gender-Based Violence”, held at Oshodi Isolo Local Government, the Executive Secretary of DSVA, Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, said the campaign was designed to heighten awareness about domestic and sexual violence among residents.
In her words: “The goal of the outreach is to raise awareness about sexual and gender-based violence, as well as issues regarding child abuse. DSVA, based on available data, has noticed an upward trend over the years in formal and informal reporting of incidents of rape, domestic violence and child abuse from Oshodi-Isolo LGA”.
Mrs. Vivour-Adeniyi reiterated the need for all members of the community to see themselves as mandated reporters and charged them to report all domestic violence cases to the Agency, informing that the State Government has made provisions, through the Law, for adequate support services for victims and survivors.
While disclosing that the toll-free line for reporting domestic and sexual violence cases in Lagos State is 08000333333, the Executive Secretary stated that the Local Government Town Hall Meetings on Sexual and Gender-based Violence, which was first held in January at Surulere Local Government, would be held in all the Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas in Lagos State.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Oshodi Isolo Local Government, Mr. Kayode Oloyede Almaroof, represented by the Vice-Chairman, Mrs. Modupe Badmus, encouraged people to speak up if they are subjected to violence in their relationships in order to curb the rate of violence in society.
Oloyede added that parents, especially mothers, should always pay attention and listen to their children so that they can confide in them when they face abuse from anyone. In her contribution, the Executive Director of the Centre for Women’s Health Information, Mrs. Atinuke Odukoya, enlightened the audience on the various forms of Sexual and Gender-Based violence, just as she advised against victim-blaming as it could discourage those affected from reporting incidents of violence, urging residents to be active bystanders and expose abuse in their communities.
Dr. Adeola Obasanya, a Gender-based and Adolescent Focal Person, Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, listed the medical centres available to survivors of domestic and sexual violence in Oshodi-Isolo axis as Isolo General Hospital, Oshodi PHC, Iyana-Ejigbo PHC and Ilasa PHC, imploring any sexual assault victim to report immediately after the incident to any of the hospitals to seek medical attention free of charge.
The meeting had in attendance over 200 participants including representatives of Community Development Associations and Councils, Community Development Authorities, Religious Organisations, Traditional Rulers and the National Youth Council of Nigeria among others.
Share on Facebook «||» Share on Twitter «||» Share on Reddit «||» Share on LinkedIn