About 602 cases have been reported, 120 cases verified, 38 persons convicted and 359 service providers registered since the launching of the national sex offenders register in 2019 by the Federal Government, Executive Director, Women Rights Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, said on Tuesday.
According to her, the SOR set up a database for service providers and those convicted for sexual violence to clamp down on abusers.
Akiyode-Afolabi stated these in her keynote speech delivered in Abuja during the launching of ‘Gender-Based Violence Reporting Handbook’, written by a civil rights organization, Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development.
The handbook, the author said, aims to empower journalists and newsrooms with the requisite skills they needed to tell gender-based violence stories in transformative and impactful ways.
While lamenting that the media have not been able to change the narrative in the reporting of GBV in the public space, the stakeholders also raised fresh concerns over the prevalence of GBV in Nigeria, saying that although violence against children had remained endemic in Nigeria, children who are pushed into the streets for survival were the worst victims of child sexual abuse.
Other stakeholders during the event included a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Lagos State University, Ojo, Dr. Ganiat Tijani-Adenle; Executive Director, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Motunrayo Alaka; a former Commissioner for Information in Rivers State, Ibim Semenitari, and Executive Director, CJID, Dr. Tobi Oluwatola.
Akiyode-Afolabi identified the different perspectives of GBV which, according to her, were driven by a number of factors, some of which had been deeply rooted in cultural beliefs, perceptions and norms, community acquiescence and stigmatization.
She said, “We must reckon with the reality that violence against women is escalated by gender-based violence. The sexual offenders and service provider register was launched in 2019 setting up a database for service providers and those convicted for sexual violence to clamp down on abusers.
“The register is available online to better help the public, state bodies and police conduct background checks and identify offenders. In the national sex offenders register, 602 cases have reported, 120 cases verified, 38 cases convicted and 359 service providers registered. Sexual assault referral centres commonly known as SARCs have been established in 18 states to provide crucial services for survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
“Other measures include the launch of a call centre to attend to reports of gender-based violence. In addition, Bauchi State launched the costed Model Action Plan for the implementation of the VAPP and the sum of N3.7 billion has been earmarked for implementation.
“Another perspective to GBV is violence against children which is endemic in Nigeria. child sexual abuse is prevalent, but children who are pushed into the streets for survival are the worst hit.”
Oluwatola said, “It is our responsibility to educate and strengthen the media, give the media the rich sources it requires to do its job better in demanding accountability so that we can build democracy and deliver the values of sustainable development.”
Tijani-Adenle said it was interesting that CJID had symbolically chosen to launch the handbook on March 8, international women’s day, observed globally to celebrate women’s achievements and advocate for their rights.
The LASU don said, “The theme of this year’s international women’s day is ‘Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow’, with a campaign to #BreakTheBias. Unfortunately, women in Nigeria and West Africa have a more dangerous challenge to tackle; they need (as a matter of urgency) to break the tenacious cycle of gender-based violence meted out to them in their homes, communities, schools, religious houses, workplaces, from people in authority meant to protect them, as well as from the criminals that terrorism and insecurity have bred on the sub-continent.
“Now, the gems in this handbook are not meant to aid the media in helping only women surmount gender-based violence, as men also experience gender-based violence – but there is unanimous agreement that women/girls and children experience GBV at an alarmingly high proportion, compared to men.
“The focus of the handbook, therefore, is on women, without discounting the various ways that the Nigerian culture undermine the silent struggles of men due to the expectations that they are ‘strong’ and should not be vulnerable to abuse or violence.”
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