The Lagos State Government has charged residents to report issues of sexual and domestic violence to the appropriate agency.

Executive Secretary, Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, gave the charge at Ikeja on Wednesday, during the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency Advocacy Walk.

The advocacy walk began from Onigbogbo Local Council Development Area and ended at Ikeja Local Government Area.

Mrs Vivour-Adeniyi said that cases of domestic and sexual violence should be reported through the agency’s hotline: 0800-333-333 (toll-free) or its website: www.dsvrtlagos.org

She said that the agency remained available to provide support, counseling, and legal assistance to survivors of abuse.

According to her, sexual and gender-based violence concerns everyone, as it is not a respecter of age, class or gender.

She said, “Indeed, anybody can be a victim or survivor. We encourage you to please speak up and speak out, if you see something, you say something, so that we can do something. So, the entire month of September is designated as the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month. The mission is to reduce the menace of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence through increased advocacy and awareness, with a focus on the state government’s zero-tolerance policy.

“It is an opportunity for us to ramp up our advocacy and enlightenment campaigns, because we know that it is important for us to break the culture of silence. One of the ways to break the culture of silence is when we demystify and destigmatize sexual and gender-based violence.’’

The executive secretary said that the activities of the advocacy walk included distributing flyers and flags, engaging with residents, and informing them about available help for survivors.

She said that the initiative would encourage people to report incidents of SGBV and to see themselves as mandated reporters, with the duty to speak up and act.

Ms Vivour-Adeniyi said that there was always a spike in reported cases of SGBV during September, due to heightened awareness and increased conversation about the issue.

She encouraged discussions on sexual, gender-based and domestic violence in various sectors, including churches, mosques, and communities, to curb the menace.

(NAN)