NGO records 198 cases of domestic violence in 2020

Women’s Right and Health Project (WRAHP), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), says it recorded 198 cases of domestic violence in 2020.

Miss Abisoye Ajose, WRAPH Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, disclosed this during a sensitisation programme on Social and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in Lagos.

Ajose, who spoke on behalf of the Executive Director, Mrs Bose Ironsi, said that the sensitisation was to tackle SGBV scourge and increase reporting in Alimosho Local Government Area (LGA).

She said that WRAPH, supported by European Union funded Rule of Law and Anti-corruption (RoLAC) programme managed by the British Council in Nigeria, facilitated town hall meetings across the six LCDAs for Adolescent girls in Alimosho LGA.

“With the sensitisation programme, girls and victims now know their rights and where to report to.

“They now know that if they see something, they should say something.

“WRAHP has recorded a lot of success with the responses it got from various sensitisation programmes that it had undertaken before,” she said.

Ironsi said that the NGO had counselors and help lines that cases could be reported to.

Also speaking, Mrs Jumoke Rotimi, Vice Chairman, Mosan Okunola LCDA, admonished the girls not to hoard information on SGBV.

Rotimi said that they should report any SGBV cases they were awafe of, adding that it was not necessary that the reporter should be the victim.

“It can be anybody in your environment, school or church. WRAHP will always be there to help the victim get justice,’’ she said.

Rotimi told the girls that they could be on anonymous reporter list if they don’t want their names mentioned.

Mrs Princess Ekom, a participant, who said that a lot of issues were taught by the NGO, urged religious leaders to help preach against SGBV.

She further urged parents to educate their children and not embarrass them unnecessarily when they were faced with issues on SGBV.