Lagos records 3,089 cases of sexual, domestic violence in 8mths

LAGOS State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) said on Monday that no fewer than 3,089 cases of sexual, domestic violence were reported in the state in the past eight months, noting that the figure was over 200per cent increase compared to last year’s figure of 1,044.

This was just as the agency also disclosed that the trends from the data revealed a steady increase in men coming forward to report cases of Domestic Violence, pointing out as at August 2018, a total of 103 men came forward to report, implying that about 10 per cent of cases handled this year so far were reported by men.

The State’s Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, disclosed this at the media parley commemorating, the Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month held in the state.

Kazeem, who was represented by Permanent Secretary Lagos State Ministry for Justice, Mrs. Funmilola Odunlami, also disclosed that seven persons had so far been convicted in the period under review.

“From January 2018 till August 2018, DSVRT has received 3089 reported cases. This indicates that the number of reports has doubled since last year when DVSRT handled a total of 1,044 cases for the entire year.

“From January 2018 till August 2018, the Team has handled 1,037 cases in the office. 939 Domestic Violence cases, 245 Child Abuse, 40 Defilement cases, 22 Rape cases, 13 cases of attempt to commit Rape and Sexual Assault by Penetration, 10 Sexual Assault by Penetration cases and 48 other cases. We have started to see on average 150 new cases monthly.

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“There have also been reported cases through the 6,820 USSD platform which was commissioned in 2017 to facilitate the swift reporting of incidents of Domestic Violence, Sexual Violence and Child Abuse. From 1st of January 2018 till date, DSVRT has received 2,052 reports via the 6820 short-code.

“A total of 718 actual cases were reported (a lot of the reporters were testing the shortcode to see if it actually works). Hence, DSVRT has responded to 357 reports of Domestic Violence, 195 reports of Sexual Abuse and 166 reports of Child Abuse, all reported via the 6820 platforms,” Kazeem said.

The commissioner said what was most exciting about the platform was that “it breaks the initial barrier of people not want to make a formal report at an office or police station.

According to him, the agency is now able to interact directly with survivors and concerned witnesses and take vital steps in dealing with a case.

Kazeem said the team had also given a stronger focus on children who had witnessed intimate partner violence this year, disclosing a total of 1,187 children had been exposed to Domestic Violence within the home.

“Some of these children have been taken through counselling programs to ensure they are able to psychologically deal with the events they have witnessed without it having a permanent and negative impact on them,” he said.

“We have also witnessed an increase in reporting of cases, via telephone and walk-ins from other states, mostly from Ogun, Oyo and have referred such cases to the relevant agencies in the states,” he added.

He, however, said the Lagos Public Interest Law Partnership (LPILP) provided free legal assistance to 52 of the survivors of the Domestic Violence, ranging from Judicial Separation, Divorce, Custody of children, Mediation and Settlement.