To mark the 2023 Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness month, celebrated every September, OYEBOLA OWOLABI examines some achievements of...
To mark the 2023 Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness month, celebrated every September, OYEBOLA OWOLABI examines some achievements of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) in its two years of existence.
SEXUAL and domestic violence may not be totally eradicated, but it can, in the least, be reduced to the barest minimum. This is what the Lagos State Sexual and Domestic Violence Agency aims to achieve through its various programmes and avenues set up to help survivors seek redress and punish offenders.
Executive Secretary of the agency, Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, said the agency is posed to helping survivors regain their confidence, re-integrate them into the society and continue in its enlightenment campaigns to ensure the message reaches the innermost part of the metropolis.
The agency has also adopted certain measures to achieve this mandate.
Education
In conjunction with the Ministry of Education, The Lagos DSVA was able to mainstream prevention and response into the education sector through behavioural mindset programmes. The Kings and Queens Club was borne out of this.
The Kings' Club, with over 2,223 members, was established to engage boys from an early age on issues of sexual and reproductive rights, health, sexual and Gender Based Violence, promoting positive masculinity, gender equality and equity, SDG5, relationship with the other sex, anger management and transitioning from boy to man. The Queens' Club has also been instrumental in engaging female secondary school pupils on same issues, including their raison d'être, femininity, gender equality and equity, SDG5, relationship with the other sex, grit, tenacity and resilience. And from the 330 girls initially inducted by the governor's wife, the club can now boast of over 2,230 Queens, a laudable testament of the initiative's impact and sustainability.
The agency also developed and launched 'My Passport of Rights', a booklet in the form of a passport which summarises the rights of children, forms of abuse, and steps to take to report abuse. The booklet was distributed free to secondary schools, and about 18,000 pupils have gotten their copy. The booklet was designed with children in mind; it explains all they need to know about their rights in the simplest language, and also help them teach their peers.
The effort did not also exclude the teachers since they play great roles in moulding the children who perhaps spend more time in school. Critical stakeholders, such as guidance counselors, school administrators, heads of schools and principals, were trained on their role in preventing and responding to child protection concerns.
This birthed the online course on Safeguarding and Child Protection. The five-module course specifically familiarises front-liners working with children, or in a child-centered institution, with the concept of child abuse perpetrated by front-liners themselves, child peers, support staff and child educators. It helps them to better understand the indicating factors of children who have, or are experiencing abuse. It examines the existing laws on child abuse in Lagos State, discusses the sections which address abuses, and also explains children in conflict with the law.
Over 20,621 professionals in Lagos have so far taken the certified course, while about 500 education stakeholders outside Lagos have also completed the course.
The agency, in partnership with the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), also introduced a curriculum to rehabilitate sex convicts. A total of 120 sex offenders participated in the flagship programme tagged 'Psycho-Social Intervention for Sex Convicts' - 63 inmates of the Ikoyi Correctional Center and 57 from the Apapa Correctional Centres participated in the programme.
According to Vivour-Adeniyi, the initiative is critical in view of the fact that not all sex convicts would serve life sentences; some would be released back into the society. "There is therefore a compelling need to assist them in learning necessary coping strategies required to replace abusive behaviours, attain full recovery and ultimately reduce recidivism," she added.
Social services and protection
Because the security and safety of survivors is paramount, especially during trial, the Lagos DSVA established 'Eko Haven', a shelter/transit home for survivors. Most especially, Eko Haven provides succor for survivors of abusive relationships till they are able to stand alone again.
At the home, survivors can access health, psycho-social, as well as livelihood stablished the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Trust Fund to provide grants to high risk survivors. The grants are used for education, accommodation, setting up businesses or scaling up of existing ones and counseling. In the last two years, 354 high risk survivors have been able to access financial support from the fund. Some of them are now employers of labour and are also giving back to the society.
The agency also collaborated with the Ministry of Health, Primary Health Care Board, Lagos State Health and Management Agency (LASHMA), and Office of the First Lady, to drive systematic response and mainstream SGBV into the health sector. Survivors are now able to access quality health care services free. This has thus removed the financial burden which hindered from accessing medical care.
Doctors were also trained on conducting forensic examinations and presenting comprehensive medical reports which are admissible in court.
Technology
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency continued to provide emergency services. With the support of the Joint EU-UN Funded Spotlight initiative, and technical support from the UNFPA, the agency developed the Gender Based Violence Virtual and Referral Service, the first of its kind in Nigeria. By calling the toll free line - 08-000-333-333 - victims and survivors were able to access emergency, psycho-social support, legal assistance and referral services every day.
This service, in the last two years, has provided support and succour to about 4,000 survivors in and outside Lagos, while 165 survivors were rescued from precarious situations. The innovation also helped to integrate the SGBV response into the state's emergency response mechanism, and the service operates within the Command Control Centre of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA).
Domestic and Sexual Violence Case Management System (DSVCMS)
The development of the Domestic and Sexual Violence Case Management System (DSVCMS) is another first in the country. The initiative, supported by the Joint EU-UN Funded Spotlight Initiative, with technical support from UN Women, was instrumental in automating the agency's processes. Through it, responders are able to e-manage their cases, even as it encourages transparency and accountability. The service app is available on both IOS and Android operating systems.
Behavovioural mindset advocacies
To further reach the grassroots, the agency initiated innovative programmes to cause behaviorual changes. One of such is
'Idile Alayo' (happy home). Traditional Marriage comperes, popularly known as 'Alaga Iduro/Ijoko', were also conscripted into the state's zero tolerance campaign to infuse advocacy against domestic violence in their programmes. About 400 of them have been engaged via this program, with more in view.
The agency, in partnership with the Ministry of Local Government, also introduced compulsory pre-marital counseling for intending couples. Over 715 intending couples have taken the pre-marital counseling course, before saying I DO.
Carrying the men along
To ensure no gender is left behind in the war against SGBV, 'The Hidden Crime: Violence against Men', was launched. The initiative was curated to spotlight domestic violence against men. At the launch, which was attended by over 400 men, participants were educated on abuse forms, and encouraged to report such when they experience it. The aim was to help men develop preventive and response mechanisms, thus compelling them to break the culture of silence.
'Man wey Sabi' is another initiative conceptualised to reach men at the grassroots. It was conceived to break gender stereotypes, as well as address gender and sex roles which fuel and entrench gender inequality, which continues to remain a driver for Sexual and Gender Based Violence. Through this initiative, men are encouraged to perform roles, such as cooking and tendering to children, which the society has tagged traditional to the woman. The men are encouraged that performing domestic chores does not make them less a man, thus changing gender stereotypes. This is done through cooking competitions in major markets across the state.
The Lagos DSVA was recently recognised for its work. The award was presented by BudgIT, a leading Civic-Tech organisation that promotes accountability and transparency in governance through social innovation and advocacy.
According to BudgIT, the Lagos DSVA got the award for its commitment to social justice and advancing service delivery for survivors of domestic violence, as well as for institutional transparency.
Mrs. Vivour-Adeniyi, who dedicated the award to victims and survivors, said: "I would like to dedicate this award to all the victims and survivors who have trusted us enough with their stories, shared their pain, and sought help. Thank you for allowing us to help you. We use this medium to encourage anyone experiencing domestic and sexual violence to know that we believe you, government is here for you. Kindly break the culture of silence, speak up, and get help."
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