Lagos govt, police urge residents to speak up against sexual violence

Lagos State government and the Police Command, yesterday, urged residents of the state to speak up on any incident of domestic and sexual violence within their domain.

They said this at an advocacy walk on sexual and gender-based violence at Ikorodu as part of activities to mark the gender and sexual violence month.
Participants during the walk that included police officers, lawyers, among others, enlightened the residents on why they should not engage in sexual and gender-based violence.

They said the state government would ensure those involved face the full wrath of the law. Executive Secretary of DSVA, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi and the Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, implored residents to raise the alarm of any incident of domestic and sexual violence as the state does not sexual and gender based violence.

Vivour-Adeniyi said anyone caught engaging in any form of domestic and sexual-based violence would face the full wrath of the law. She added that when any husband or man is caught physically assaulting any woman or raping any lady, the issue should not be covered up or settled at home but be reported for appropriate action.

The executive secretary, therefore, enjoined Ikorodu residents not to be accomplice in any form of illegally related to sexual and gender-based violence.

Owohunwa, represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Salihu Usman, said that from statistics, sexual and gender-based violence incidents are on the downward trend in Lagos. He added that the state’s police command is committed to ensuring that the menace is being eradicated in the state.

He, however, said the police could not do it alone, so it needs the support of all residents to be effective in checking sexual and gender- based violence in the state. He promised that once residents call the toll-free lines to report any incident, the police would respond promptly.