By Nkasi Paul Okolie
No fewer than 2588 children experienced emotional, sexual abuses and were exposed to domestic violence within their homes in Lagos between August 2022 to July 2023.
This was revealed by the state government at a press briefing addressed by the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Justice, Ms. Titilayo Shitta Bey.
The briefing was part of the activities to commemorate this year’s domestic and sexual violence awareness month themed “Not in my Lagos” usually marked every September.
Shitta-Bey represented by the Executive Secretary Of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, who said that 40 per cent of the children have been taken through counselling programmes to ensure that they are able to psychologically deal with the events they have witnessed without it having a permanent and negative impact on them.
She said,”609 (Separation, failure to take responsibility of child(ren), Neglect, Child Abduction, child labour, custody, 143 Child Abuse/Physical Assault, 235 Defilement cases, three Defilement/Molestation by Minor to Minor and 33 sexual harassment/molestation cases.
“From August 1, 2022 to July 31, 2023, the agency has handled 5624 cases which are into two categories, adults and children. The agency now receives an average of 250 clients on a monthly basis. For adults- 91 per cent of survivors were female whilst 9 per cent were male, whilst for children- 45 per cent of survivors were boys whilst 55 per cent were girls.”
She further revealed that all the survivors of sexual assault received medical attention from comprehensive Primary Healthcare Centres, general hospitals and Sexual Assault Referral Centres including Mirabel Centre, Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF) as well as Idera Centre.
“In the period under review, the Agency has provided services to 7 Persons with Disabilities who were experiencing one form of Gender Based Violence or the other.
“The youngest child that experienced sexual violence was an 18 months old baby, whilst the oldest clients that experienced domestic violence were a 79 year old woman.”
Shitta-Bey further said that another analysis of the data revealed that there is a link between mental health issues and domestic violence, as 10 percent of the survivors noted that their abusers are diagnosed with mental health issues.
“The effects of Sexual and Gender Based Violence cannot be overemphasized as 90 per cent of the survivors disclosed that they have experienced low self esteem, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), extreme fear and anxiety, and about five per cent suffered from depression and had to seek medical help.
“Some of the men and women that experienced domestic violence disclosed that they lost their means of livelihood as a result of the abuse.
“The agency has secured 21 restraining orders, granted by the courts pursuant to the Protection Against Domestic Violence Law, 2015 against abusive spouses. Furthermore, Lagos State Government through the Directorate of Public Prosecutions secured at least 120 judgments during the period under review.”
According to her, about 60 per cent of alleged perpetrators abuse alcohol and as such increased the risk of perpetrating domestic violence.
Shitta-Bey disclosed that a number of activities has been set out for the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month in September, 2023
She said that there would be an advocacy walk against domestic and sexual violence on September 4, 2023, within the Lagos State secretariat, Alausa.
