Stakeholders have linked growing cases of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in Lagos to delays in the justice system, and negligence.
They spoke at a one-day sensitisation workshop packaged for 60 traditional rulers and key influencers in Alimosho Local Council.
Executive Director, Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP), Bose Ironsi, lamented that cases of SGBV are increasing due to delays, negligence, and apathy on the part of first responders.
She said although all citizens are mandatory reporters of SGBV, the delays in the justice system make escalation pointless.
Ironsi also cited tribal bias as one of the factors that proliferate SGBV cases in the state.
She said: “It is our collective responsibility to ensure we follow up on our efforts to address the menace. But the process of getting justice is very slow. When you report cases, officers would ask if you were there or if the alleged perpetrator is Igbo, Yoruba or Hausa. All these disrupt the investigation.”
She acknowledged efforts of the Lagos State government to curb the menace with the enactment of laws and creation of institutions to escalate reported SGBV cases.
Also, Head, Field Operations, Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), Oluwakemi Bello, said the agency has taken the fight against SGBV headlong by enlightening children and making them SGBV advocates.
Bello said the relevance of the advocacy is to engage communities in the war against SGBV. She regretted that the agency often encounters challenges from host communities.
She said: “Sometimes when cases are reported to us, you will hear things like, “it is a family issue; let’s resolve it within the family.’ These notions affect the prosecution process and many perpetrators do not face any penalties.”
Bello stated that the police are in charge of investigation, which would necessitate prosecution in a court of law, adding that the agency provides, “a shelter for victims and survivors of SGBV and empowers them while they are in the shelter.”
She urged first responders to be less judgmental and to thoroughly examine cases reported to them.
