Lagos records 852 domestic violence cases in nine months

• To establish special fund for victims

The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) has revealed that between January and September 2017, a total of 852 cases of domestic violence and related cases were recorded in the state.

The state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, at a media briefing to commemorate the Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month, said out of the total number, there were 564 domestic violence cases, 60 defilement cases, 30 rape cases, 11 attempted rape, 123 child neglect and abuse cases, and 84 other cases.

Kazeem, who is also the chairman of DSVRT, disclosed that the trend from the data showed an increase in men coming forward to report cases of domestic violence, just as he added that this year alone, a total number of 55 men came forward to report in contrast to 14 men that reported last year.

According to him, a new initiative, the Domestic and Sexual Violence Fund would amongst other things, provide empowerment designed specifically for survivors of domestic violence. He said the fund would compliment the empowerment programmes coordinated by the Ministry of Women Affairs.

According to available data, most of the sexual assault cases were perpetrated in the afternoon during weekdays, while 95 percent of the perpetrators of sexual violence are known to the victims, which according to him, necessitated the need to embark on sensitization campaigns for parents on parenting skills and child abuse prevention tips as well as trainings for children on child’s rights, child abuse, safety and how to preserve evidence.

While some of the cases have been charged to court, Kazeem said the government through the Ministry of Youth and Social Development and other stakeholders, provided shelter for the survivors.

The Attorney General also revealed that the government has concluded plans to launch a short service code that would afford residents the opportunity of reporting cases of domestic violence, sexual abuse, child abuse and other related offences with ease.

“This would be achieved by members of the public using keywords, that is, ‘Child Abuse to 6820’ or *6820# and an interactive menu browser to get the relevant information from such users such as name, location, specific case or complaint which would in turn ensure that the whole response team is automatically activated.”