The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) has warned Lagosians to stop protecting sexual offenders.
DSVA Executive Secretary, Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi said that whoever protects sexual offenders would be liable to three years imprisonment.
She stated this during an outreach programme with members of Ojodu LCDA’s Community Development Committee (CDC) at their monthly CDA meeting held last week as part of the ongoing efforts to further propagate the SGBV message.
Mrs Vivour-Adeniyi said this is in keeping with the agency’s mission to eradicate sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Lagos.
She emphasised that the value of the ongoing communication with CDAs was to ensure the message gets to every member of the society as much as possible.
She stressed that concealing a sexual offence is punishable under the law and could warrant a three-year jail term.
She urged participants to speak up timely as required reporters when such situations occur within their community to ensure justice is served to perpetrators of SGBV crimes.
Chairman of the CDC, Pastor Segun Fayemi, while welcoming the visiting delegation, gave an outline of the organisation’s goals.
He expressed gratitude to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for taking the lead and promised the community leaders’ ongoing assistance in getting rid of the menace.
The Agency’s Community Engagement Representative, Ms. Opemipo Ogunse, briefed participants on the gravity of sexual and gender-based violence and outlined the reporting guidelines.
She described the agency’s services, the cooperation with the Police Family Support Unit (FSU), and appropriate reporting procedures.
The questions and answers session allowed for interactions for community members to be very open.
SGBV awareness materials were distributed to the attendees to further enlighten them and were given access to the toll-free number 08000 333 333.
