NGO trains public on gender based violence counseling in Bayelsa

Sequel to recurring cases of gender based violence in society, a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) under the aegis of Face Initiative have trained selected community youths, women and leaders on gender based violence, particularly how to counsel rape victims and reintegrate them back to society.

The Group averred that the training became imperative against the backdrop of the statistics of rape victims that have continued to suffer rejection and those whose predicament forced them to commit suicide, as well as cases of divorce and domestic violence against women.

Speaking at the training in Yenagoa, the Executive Director of Face Initiative, Dr Inatimi Peter Odio told selected community youths, women and leaders in attendance from Oruma, Odoni, Agbura, Famgbe and a host of other communities to return to their communities and build hope in victims to halt cases of suicide.

He noted that the essentially the sensitization and professional counseling would give victims courage to live a normal life.

Odio explained that the Face Initiative is funded by OXFAM, said further that the group is focused on building women capacity through empowerment programmes, which would in turn enable them contribute meaningfully to the social and economic development of the society.

“We also promote gender equality and also try to change social norms of women and girls in the society, and harmful cultural practices inimical to women and the girl-child” Odio submitted.

Also speaking, Mrs Nkiru Obah, posited professionalism is required when counseling victims of rape or those that have suffered gender violence in different forms in society, and that necessitated the seminar.

Accordingly, she observed that some of the victims resort to untowards decision because of wrong counsel, and that it is the deficit of professional counselors to the group is plugging in society.

Obah averred that through counseling, those that have been won are encouraged to contribute meaningfully to societal advancement and to use their situation to give hope to others.

To this end, She posited that the group also within limit of funding provide little logistic and support to enable those won to go into trade and other business to stay alive.