Rate of domestic violence in Oyo frightening ― Oyo SGBVT

The Oyo State Sexual and Gender Based Violence Response Team (Oyo SGBVT), on Tuesday stated that the rate of domestic violence in Oyo state is nothing to write home about as it requires the collaboration of all stakeholders for efforts to eradicate this vice to be effective.

The response team made this known through its chairman, Dupe Awosemusi, during a courtesy visit to the State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corp (NSCDC), Iskilu Abiodun Akinsanya at the command headquarters at Secretariat, adding that the team is committed to reduce, if not totally eradicate, incidence of gender-based violence across the state.

OYO SGBVT is a response team set by government up as a holistic solution to combat issues of sexual-based violence within Oyo state with members from diverse government and private organisations including the police, NSCDC, International federation of women lawyers, the Nigerian Bar Association, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Ministry of Education, doctors, health and counseling officers, non-governmental organisations and the media amongst others.

The team is saddled with the responsibility of carrying out advocacy, helping victims of abuse and ensuring offenders are punished in a bid to curb increasing issues of sexual assault and violence within the state by addressing problems as well as formulate programs to serve the state.

According to the team, there is a misconception that gender issues are basically about women while it is on record that men are also abused though many are ashamed to admit it, adding that the process of addressing gender cases passes through diverse connecting phases where the failure on one unit affects the outcome of the entire process.

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“The process starts from the police to the hospital, then to the Ministry of Justice, onward to the court. But in the course of proceedings, lots of mistakes happen especially during investigations, weakening the case and giving room for the culprit to escape punishment. The success of every case depends on how every unit carries out its duty for the overall success of the team. Aside from getting the judgment, the victim also needs to be taken care of to ensure the get healed of trauma that can remain with them for life,” Awosemusi stated.

According to her, it is the responsibility of everyone to work together with the team for it to succeed in its assignment, adding that the team cannot be everywhere and needs information to act.

“We need people to tell us when abuses go on around them; they don’t have to be a victim before they inform us. We are available 24 hours in a day on our hotline 09094333331 or on our twitter account SGBVT Oyo. We also want the Oyo NSCDC to support us in our activities, we have been enjoying tremendous support from the command but we are also asking for more in terms of a liaison officer in addition to the officer that we already have on the team,” she concluded.

The Oyo NSCDC commandant, Abiodun Akinsanya in this response promised the team that the command will support its activities in every way, adding that making the society crime-free is an assignment that his organization is committed to, adding that the NSCDC will not relent in giving support to the team in a bid to eradicate all forms of gender-based violence in the state.