Speak up, group tells victims of gender-based violence

Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP), yesterday, urged victims and survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) to speak up and dismiss fear of stigmatisation for justice to be served.

The group’s Team Lead, Mrs. Bose Ironsi, gave the advice during a media dialogue on SGBV, tagged, “Sensitisation meeting for media representatives on effective documentation of reported SGBV cases in Edo State.”

According to her, everybody needs to be a reporter in the campaign against SGBV.

Ironsi said the major factors that have made most victims and their families’ silent is stigmatisation and poverty.

She added that the meeting with the media and other stakeholders in the state was to strengthen reporting pathways for survivors of SGBV through mandated reporters.

While soliciting the support of all stakeholders, particularly the media in the campaign to end SGBV in Edo State and the country in general, the activist emphasised the need to enhance gender equality and protection from gender-based violence for women and girls in Edo State.

She defined SGBV as any harmful act of sexual, physical, psychological, mental, and emotional abuse perpetrated against a person’s will.