Kaduna records 3,100 cases of SGBV in six months in two LGAs

By Austine Emmanuel, Kaduna

Kaduna State has reported over 3,100 cases of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in Chikun and Jama’a LGAs between January and June 2024, disclosed by Fatima Inusa, Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Officer at International Alert (IA).

This was revealed during a two-day training on Psychosocial First Aid for first responders, organised by IA in collaboration with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Development of Kaduna State.

Inusa attributed the increase in reported cases to heightened awareness through sensitization programs encouraging survivors to break the silence on violent incidents in society. IA gathered these statistics in close partnership with the Salama Assaults Referral Centers (SARCs) in Chikun and Jama’a.

She emphasised the importance of survivors seeking support and reporting incidents, reassuring them that the violence is not their fault and urging them to seek medical help, particularly in cases of rape to address potential health impacts like sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies.

Following the event, Ahmad Sani Yahaya, the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Desk Officer for Kaduna State’s Ministry of Human Services, stated that the ministry has recorded 1,763 cases of GBV this year, encompassing emotional abuse, physical violence, and forced marriages.

He underscored the ministry’s commitment to ensuring justice for survivors through the state’s court system across its 23 LGAs.

Yahaya encouraged Kaduna residents to overcome the stigma associated with reporting GBV, emphasising the ministry’s professional handling of cases and its commitment to confidentiality and survivor safety.