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From left to right: Attorney General of the Ministry of Justice, Ms. Titilola Shitta-Bey, Lagos State Presiding Judge Judge Kazeem Alogba and the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Sexual and Domestic Violence Agency (DSVA) , Ms. Titilola Viviour-Adeniyi during the training of Judges and Magistrates in lkeja on wednesday 16 november
The Lagos state government, through its Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), on Wednesday trained judges and magistrates on best practices for adjudicating sexual and gender-based violence cases in the state.
Speaking during the training, Lagos State Chief Judge Judge Kazeem Alogba said there was a need to address SGBV cases through a practical holistic approach, through intensive training for parties interested.
Alogba said the availability of forensic facilities for evidence, investigation and collection; aggressive sensitization against the social stigmatization of victims/survivors would go a long way in increasing the confidence of victims to report.
He also said that the provision of psychosocial support services; facilitating counseling support groups for survivors would further boost their confidence and integration into society.
The presiding judge raised concerns about witness protection in court and encouraged the government to provide technological devices to interview or collect witness statements, either virtually or physically.
Alogba said that more internal training would lead to a timely/fast adjudication of justice.
Also speaking, the Attorney General of the Ministry of Justice, Ms. Titilayo Shitta-Bey, praised DSVA's successful provision of immense support and assistance to victims/survivors of domestic and sexual crimes, particularly children and women in an unpleasant environment. .
Shitta-Bey said the rising rate of cases received and handled was a concern for the state.
He said that the threat of SGBV required a comprehensive collaborative effort, as survivors deserved to be treated with sensitivity and empathy at all stages of the criminal process, taking into account their traumatic and psychological state.
Earlier, in her welcome speech, the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Sexual and Domestic Violence Agency (DSVA), Ms. Lola Vivour-Adeniyi, said that the training was most convincing at a time when cases of VSG were on the rise.
Viviour-Adeniyi said the goal was to address easy access to justice and faster turnaround for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
===========Edited
Source Credit: NAN
The Lagos State Government, through its Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) has inducted 210 students from Education District V into the Queen’s and King’s Club, after weeks of orientation.
Speaking during the induction ceremony at Agboju on Monday, the Executive Secretary, DSVA, Mrs TitiLola Vivour-Adeniyi, said that the students would serve as ambassadors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV).
Vivour-Adeniyi said that there was the need to heighten awareness to tackle headlong the menace of the SGBV prevalence in the state
She said that there was the need to bring perpetrators to book via the referral pathway laid down by the state government.
Vivour-Adeniyi said the initiative aimed at creating a sustainable social structure in educational institutions that would help debunk socio-cultural misconceptions.
The executive secretary said that it would promote empowered femininity and bring about behavioural and attitudinal change in the minds of young girls in Lagos State.
The initiative would also help to constitute an alliance of trained young girls and boys in schools who would serve as peer educators and advocates of positive femininity and masculinity.
She said that the club would expose the girls and boys to increased knowledge on Gender Based Violence and Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH).
According to her, it will enable them question dominant norms which promote gender inequities, as well as challenge the myths and misconceptions about violence.
”While the agency seeks to promote positive SRH behaviour, the initiative would also assist in the generation of data on the perception of girls and boys regarding Gender Based Violence (GBV) and SRH.
”Empowering and inaugurating the students into the King’s Club and Queen’s Club Initiative was expedient, as children are amongst the statistics of victims, preys to peodophiles and all forms of abuse,” she said.
One of the facilitators, Judith Osinaike, said the aim was to create a sustainable social structure in educational institutions in the state.
Osinaike, who is the Founder – University Royalty Empowerment Foundation, urged the students to continue to strive for excellence and champion a world free of all forms of SGBV and to see themselves as ambassadors and change agents in the society.
Meanwhile, after taking the pledge of allegiance, the students from the Education District 5 were subsequently inducted into the club and awarded certificates and identity cards to validate their induction into the club.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
The Lagos State Government has ordered a coroner’s inquest to ascertain the cause of death of late Bimbo, the wife of celebrity Lagos auto dealer, Ikechukwu Ogbonna,(Alias IVD), who allegedly died recently as a result of severe injuries from a fire.
The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, gave the directive in a statement on Tuesday.
Onigbanjo said that thorough investigation would be carried out to ascertain the cause of Bimbo’s death.
He added that findings of the investigation would be made public in due course and appropriate sanctions meted out to anyone found culpable.
“A coroner’s inquest has immediately been requested, in line with section 14 and 15 of the Coroners’ Systems Law, Laws of Lagos State 2015, to determine the cause and circumstances of death.
“By Section 14(1)(d) of the Coroners’ System Law of the State: “A report of death shall be made to any of the agencies for the report of death or the office of the Coroner and be subject to post-mortem examination where there is reasonable cause to believe that the cause of death was: violent, unnatural or suspicious.
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“Section 15(1) and (9) further enjoins the Coroner to hold an inquest whenever he or she is informed that the death of the deceased person was in a violent, unnatural or suspicious situation or believes an inquest is desirable following the report of a reportable death,” he said.
The commissioner noted that as a government, the security and wellbeing of citizens were of utmost importance while assuring the public that everything will be done to ensure that the cause of death is known.
The attorney-general also charged the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) to assist the Police and other law enforcement agencies in investigating the case and ascertaining the cause of death of the late Bimbo which had attracted wide media attention.
The Executive Secretary of DSVA, Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi also reiterated the state government’s resolve to ensure perpetrators of sexual and gender based violence crimes were brought to face the full wrath of the law.
Vivour-Adeniyi also urged residents to report cases of domestic and sexual violence cases to the DSVA office in Alausa Ikeja or call the toll free number 08000333333 (247)
NAN reports that late Bimbo reportedly died on Oct. 15 from the fire injuries she sustained in her matrimonial home
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
Lagos Govt. charges traditional rulers to help curb sexual, gender violence
Mrs Titilola Viviour-Adeniyi, Executive Secretary, Lagos State Domestic and Sexual VioThe Lagos State Government has urged traditional rulers to use their influence and closeness to the people in their communities to curb sexual, gender and domestic violence.
Mrs Titilola Viviour-Adeniyi, the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) gave the advice on Thursday, in Lagos.
She spoke during a One-Day Roundtable With Traditional Rulers On The Prevalence Of Sexual And Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
Viviour-Adeniyi urged the traditional rulers to use the proactive measures and practices adopted by the state government to ensure that SGBV, if not completely eradicated, was brought to the barest minimum in the state.
She said that the engagement was deliberate due to the prevalence of SGBV in the society, which required a timely intervention.
”In the context of preventing and ending Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, traditional rulers are one of the strategic groups that must be considered, because our Royal Majesties, the custodians of our culture, have access to different segments of the population, including those who are marginalised and harder to reach.
”In many regions of the world, traditional rulers, by virtue of their long-standing presence and service in diverse communities, have come to command the trust and respect of local population.
”We understand that in certain instances, traditional rulers sometimes serve as the first port of call immediately after a case of domestic or sexual violence occurs.
”Certain times, such cases end up being ‘resolved’ at the palaces, without adhering to the state government’s referral pathway,” she said.
According to her, this non adherence to government referral pathway, therefore, promotes the culture of impunity as perpetrators are not held legally accountable for their actions, even as survivors are not able to access holistic support.
”It is, therefore, of utmost importance that traditional rulers are promptly and regularly engaged on these issues, their role in preventing and responding to incidents reported and most importantly, the need to have interface with government,” she said.
Vivour-Adeniyi said that in the past one year, the agency recorded a total of 4,860 cases via the Virtual Referral and Response Service (VRRS), and physical report.
She said that those cases include domestic violence, rape, lack of parental care, threat to life, sexual assault by penetration, emotional abuse, child , among others.
The executive secretary said that breakdown of cases showed that there were 2,710 adult and 2,150 children, showing that within emergency settings, SGBV on women and young girls was critically heightened.
In her presentation, Mrs Omolola Rotimi, the Administrator-General, Public Trustee, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, said that in order to protect people from people, on the issue of SGBV, the law had to be in place.
Rotimi said that people must learn to speak out against SGBV, as it would help to reduce the occurrence of the cases.
Mr Emmanuel Oladele, President, Institute of Marriage Administrators and Counsellors of Nigeria, said that all hands must be on deck, both the rulers and the ruled, at mitigating the incessant occurrence of SGBV in the communities.
Oladele called on traditional rulers not to hesitate to apply the full weight of the customs and traditions against the perpetrators of SGBV, as long as such was not repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience.
Oba Asumo Abdul-Ganiyu Aderibigbe, paramount ruler of Odo-Ayandelu Kingdom, Ikosi-Ejinrin, Epe, commended the state government for its efforts at curving SGBV.
Aderibigbe urged the police to always respond appropriately, whenever issues of SGBV were reported.
”We are glad to have this kind of training today, it imparts more knowledge on us, so that we can go back to our various communities and educate the people the more.
”There are some cases we can treat in the palace and there are some that are criminal.
We don’t have to harbour or indulge people that involve in violence or criminal activities.
We have to expose them,” he said.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State said that the state government was currently building the biggest mental rehabilitation home in the country.
Sanwo-Olu made this known while receiving members of the Southern Governors Wives’ Forum (SGWF) on a courtesy visit at Lagos House, Ikeja.
He said that the rehabilitation home was to comprehensively address the menace of drug abuse and provide the necessary care for victims.
According to him, Illicit dealing in drugs and substance abuse require serious effort and commitment of all stakeholders to frontally tackle it, in the best interest of the society.
He commended the governors’ wives for their resilience and support in fighting Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and also drug abuse in their states.
”I want to thank you all for your efforts, particularly your pet projects to address Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
It is something that permeates everywhere and for us in Lagos, we have faced it with all it takes.
”We have a law and we have also gone further to establish a full-fledged agency, so that they can respond faster and they have all it takes to run faster and not subsumed or delayed.
”We are giving it the importance that it deserves.
The agency is doing a good job and we acknowledge that there is room for improvement,” Sanwo-Olu said.
Still on drug abuse, he said that it was encouraging that the SGWF was focusing on it with advocacy and other initiatives to ensure that it remained in the front burner.
”We can see in the papers today where drugs were recovered from a big mansion.
A couple of weeks ago, we saw how horrible drugs were uncovered.
So, it is something we need to talk about and we should not shy away from it.
”It cuts across-drug issues, mental health issues are things we should speak about and deal with.
”For us as a government, we are building the biggest mental rehabilitation home in the country as we speak, so that we can deal with this problem with all it takes and people that require help, can be supported.
”Also, people that are criminally minded can be dealt with in accordance with the law,” the governor said.
Earlier, the wife of the Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, said that members of the SGWF were in Lagos for their Quarterly Meeting.
Sanwo-Olu said that the forum was a platform uniting all the Wives of the Southern State Governors and was also an avenue for sharing notes on governance and ideas that could trigger economic and social rebirth.
Also, the President of the SGWF, Mrs Kafayat Oyetola, commended Gov. Sanwo-Olu for the progress made so far on the blue light rail project.
Oyetola, who is the Wife of Osun State Governor, said Gender-Based Violence had been well addressed in Lagos State, lauding that the governor’s projects and initiatives were in line with the objectives of Governors’ Wives.
On her part, Chairperson of the Nigerian Governors Wives’ Forum (NGWF), Erelu Bisi Fayemi, commended Gov. Sanwo-Olu for putting what Governors’ Wives always preached into practice.
Fayemi, who is the wife of Governor of Ekiti State, said that the SGWF had always preached that there could not be a success in achieving any of the Sustainable Development Goals without the full participation of women.
”Lagos State has always set the example of what it means to have women in leadership at all levels and so we would like to thank you Mr Governor.
”Please, we ask that you continue to encourage other governors in the country to improve opportunities for women and girls in their states, through policies and programmes,” she said.
However, the governors’ wives met at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, and afterward inspected the ongoing work at the Office of the First Lady of Lagos State and J.
K Randle Centre for Yoruba and History, Onikan.
Speaking on the sideline of the visit, Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, Executive Secretary, Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) ,said the agency was encouraged by the political will demonstrated by the Southern Governors’ Wives Forum.
Vivour-Adeniyi said that most of the southern states had adopted relevant laws, including the Violence Against Persons Prohibition, and of course, the Child’s Rights Law.
”It is just to encourage other states that are yet to do so.
They should ensure full implementation, so that there is no state that will be safe, or be deemed a safe haven for perpetrators,” she said.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
Mrs Atinuke Odukoya, Director, Centre for Women’s Health and Information (CEWHIN), has urges prosecutors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence cases to apply survival-centred approach.
Odukoya gave the advice on Monday in Ikeja during the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) “Two-Day Training of State Prosecutors and Police Prosecutors on Prosecution of Sexual and Gender Based Violence Cases”.
She said that applying survivor-centred approach would ensure that survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence felt the need to carry on in life.
According to her, the training is to help the state prosecutors have a better understanding of how to support survivors of sexual and gender based violence to get justice.
She said that the prosecutors needed to facilitate the process of getting justice for the , so as to revive trust in the judiciary.
“We realise that gender and the social construct of gender impact a lot on how people respond to survivors of gender based violence, particularly sexual assault.
“The training is to help the state prosecutors to have a better understanding of how to support survivors of sexual and gender based violence.
”So we need to begin to work from a survival-centred approach, where we look at what does the survival need?
What is the kind of trauma that the survival has faced, and how can we help the traumatised one to get justice.
”Now, in terms of getting justice, I personally believe that the more justice that is got the lesser the incidences that we would have.
“People tend to do things because there’s a lot of impunity, particularly in our justice system.
The system can be extremely slow,” Odukoya said.
Mrs Bose Ironsi, the Executive Director, Women Rights and Health Project (WRAHP) said that there was the need for the Family Support Unit of Police to be trained, so that they dont become bias in their statements.
Ironsi said that they needed to understand what causes violence within families and what do you do and how to go about assisting .
Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, Executive Secretary, Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) between 2021 and 2022, nine women had died from domestic violence.
Vivour-Adeniyi said that there were six deaths in 2021, while three death cases were in 2022, all the men involved were already in custody and being prosecuted.
She said the training was put together to help prosecutors understand best practices in prosecuting sexual and gender based violence cases.
According to her, state and police prosecutors play a very important role in ensuring justice for domestic and sexual violence survivors, hence, the need to deepen their knowledge on handling the issue.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
The Lagos State Government, through its Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), has urged the male folk to use their masculinity positively, rather than engaging in domestic and sexual violences.
Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) gave the advice on Saturday, during the Market Fiesta held at the Ankara Market, Balogun, Lagos Island.
The fiesta, with the theme: ”Men Wey Sabi”, is an advocacy against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
Vivour-Adeniyi said that men should avoid what triggered violence, hence, should participate in all affairs that kept the family going.
She said that men should acknowledge, understand and appreciate marriage as a partnership, therefore, should play their roles diligently.
According to her, the agency, through its campaigns, is trying to break gender stereotypes, as it encourages the men to assist in house chores.
”We have realised that these issues can be triggered in the home, it can be triggered for domestic violence, it can be triggered; it can lead to break in communication, and it can also lead to physical abuse.
”So all we are saying is this, that you are doing it as a man does not make you less a man, you are doing it because you appreciate that it is a partnership, marriage is a partnership.
”We need to move from engaging men from the perpetrators perspective, that our men are perpetrators, we need to conscript men in this advocacy, so that men can speak to themselves and let them know that it is all right to assist at home.
”Men need to use their masculinity for something positive or not to abuse the office or the power that they have.
”We decided to be a bit creative in passing our message, so we have come to Balogun market with a view to engaging the male folk on gender roles, to carry out activities that are stereotypically ascribed towards females.
”So today we are going to have men cook.
We are going to have men take care of babies, as the father, as the man in the house, we encourage you to perform these roles,” she said.
Mr Ismail Uthman, the Secretary, Balogun Market in Lagos Island, commended the agency for the initiative, as was welcomed by all traders.
Uthman said that domestic and sexual violence was rampant in the country, hence, the need for the programme.
He said there were laws guiding traders in the market, therefore, the market had always witnessed peace.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
Speakers at the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Symposium on Tuesday called for the reform of the protection laws as it related to the survivors.
The symposium, with the theme: ”Tales of Survivors”, was organised to commemorate the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month.
Giving his Goodwill message, the Chief Justice of Lagos State, Justice Kazeem Alogba, said that there was the need to protect the of sexual and gender-based violence, so they could easily seek redress.
Alogba, who was represented by Justice Sherifat Solebo of the High Court, Lagos said that stigmatisation had discouraged a lot of victims from speaking out, making perpetrators to continue in the act.
”For those who are strong enough to come up and try to relate to us their experiences in order to encourage other survivors to come out and report offences, I don’t think we should discourage them.
”It affects their trust in the system, it enhances stigmatisation, and of course, it represses this issue of coming forward to report.
”That is why we think the issue of protection law should be enhanced and improved upon with clarity as to protection of the identity, the name, the face, the address, the parentage, anything that could lead to identifying these victims,” he said.
Alogba said there should be reform of the sentencing guidelines of Lagos State to suit peculiar circumstances.
According to him, sentencing is not just to reflect the practicality of analogical sanctions, but should be reflective of the particular circumstance of each case, as it should not be generalised.
Speaking on ”Expose on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence”, Prof. Olufunmilayo Bammeke, the Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos said it was important to have a multi-sectoral approach to the responses to survivors.
Bammeke said that sexual and Gender-Based violence survivor were very reluctant to seek redress for fear of being blamed, of being disbelieved and of being stigmatised.
She commended the courage of survivors who were able to go forward to seek redress and that such survivors must have a lot of support.
”It is not easy for a survivor who does not have support to go out to seek redress, because rather than support an individual, if the person is discouraged, that person already has a challenge of speaking about what he or she experienced.
”Then they also have a distrust for formal institutions.
We find people being very cynical, some of the survivors say nothing will come out of the redress being sought,” the professor said.
Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), said the agency was ensuring it contributed to the responses of sexual and gender-vased violence, both preventive and remedial.
Vivour-Adeniyi said that in the past one year, DSVA had provided services to over 4,800 adults and children, who were survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
She said that survivors often faced various multi-facetted challenges, which might have long-lasting impact on their physical, mental and psychological state of mind.
”It is also our hope that this symposium will inform new polices, which are critical to adequately and proactively prevent and where neccessary, respond to sexual and gender-based violence in Lagos State,” the executive secretary and.
During the symposium, some survivors shared their stories, how they took a stand against domestic and sexual violence and how they had been able to show resilience in the face of the challenges that followed.
By telling their stories, the survivors served as motivation to others, letting them know that it is possible to overcome both the trauma of domestic and sexual violence, and to demonstrate that indeed, there is life after violence.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) said that it had received complaints of child defilement against one Dr Femi Olaleye.
Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, the Executive Secretary of the agency made this known on the agency’s Twitter handle monitored by News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday.
She said that the agency received complaint of a child defilement on March 19, 2022 through its toll free line.
“We received a complaint bordering on an allegation of sexual assault by penetration, indecent treatment of a child and defilement allegedly perpetrated by Dr Olaleye.
“As is customary, the case was immediately referred to the designated police station in this instance being the Gender Desk Department of the Police Command in Lagos State.
“The child had already received medical support and was in the process of receiving psychosocial support,” Vivour-Adeniyi said.
She also appealed to the police to send the duplicate file of the suspect’s case to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPPs) for legal advice.
“DSVA has requested the police to forward the duplicate case file to the DPP so that legal advice can be issued.
“Furthermore, we have also shared with the police, additional information, which we believe will assist them in their investigation.
“We use this medium to reiterate the state government’s zero tolerance for all forms of Sexual and Gender Based Violence.
“We reassure the public that no case of sexual abuse allegation will be swept under the carpet.
“DSVA encourages anyone that has any additional information or facts about this case to please reach out to us via our toll-free line: 08000 333 333 or on our social media handles- @lagosdsva,” she said.
NAN reports that Olaleye was alleged to have perpetrated the crime for about 19 months until his wife got to know about illicit act and subsequently reported the matter to the police.
The minor, who was said to have started living with Olaleye’s family after her father died, was also said to have been introduced to pornography by the medical doctor.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) on Wednesday urged the male gender to assist in house chores, for the good of the family.
The Executive Secretary, DSVA, Mrs Lola Vivour-Adeniyi, gave the advice at Katangowa Market, during an advocacy against Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), tagged: ”Men Wey Sabi”.
”Some women have died because they did not cook for their spouses, some women are being victimised because it appears they are not meeting up with the house chores.
”Today we are engaging the men; the men will be cooking; men will be cleaning; men will be changing diapers; basically roles that have been specifically ascribed as feminine roles.
”What we are saying is that it doesn’t make you less a man if you are involved in house chores for the family.
“What we are saying is that if you are a ”man wey sabi”, you should be involved because it is in partnership, ‘marriage is partnership’,” Vivour-Adeniyi said.
She said that the campaign followed the resolve by the state government to rid Lagos of SGBV crimes in its entirety, through enlightenment campaigns and continuous sensitisation plan that cut across different strata of the society.
According to her, it is expedient to change the social construct by breaking gender stereotypes that further heighten directly or indirectly the crime of sexual and gender based violence.
She said that in the last one year – from September 2021 to July 2022 – there was a record of 4,860 cases of SGBV, with a notice of slight decrease in May and June.
The Babaloja General, Alhaja Abiodun kosoko and Iyaloja General, Mrs Funmilayo Alabi George of Agbado Okeodo LCDA expressed gratitude to the state government for bringing the initiative of the Market Fiesta.
Kosoko said that the problem associated with SGBV was that some people don’t want the issue to be exposed, if it happens.
At the Katangowa market campaign, selected male adults performed on-the-spot chores socially ascribed to women, such as diaper changing and cooking.
Winners and other participants went home with various gifts and consolation prizes.
nanews.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
