Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) has said that no fewer than 3,089 cases of sexual, domestic violence were reported in the past eight months.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, who disclosed this yesterday at a media parley in Lagos commemorating domestic and sexual violence awareness month, noted that the figure doubled compared to last year’s 1,044.
Kazeem, who was represented by the permanent secretary, Lagos State Ministry for Justice, Mrs. Funmilola Odunlami, also disclosed that seven persons had so far been convicted in the period under review.
Reeling out the statistics, he said: “From January to August 2018, DSVRT has received 3,089 reported cases. This indicates that the number of reports has doubled since last year when DVSRT handled a total of 1,044 cases for the entire year.
“From January to August, the team handled 1,037 cases in the office; 939 domestic violence cases, 245 child abuse, 40 defilement cases, 22 rape cases, 13 attempts to commit rape and sexual assault by penetration, 10 sexual assault by penetration cases and 48 others. We have started to see on average 150 new cases monthly.
“There have also been reported cases through the ‘6820’ USSD platform, which was commissioned in 2017 to facilitate the swift reporting of incidents of domestic violence, sexual violence and child abuse. Since January 1, DSVRT has received 2,052 reports via the 6820 short code.
“A total of 718 actual cases were reported (a lot of the reporters were testing the short code to see if it actually works). Hence, DSVRT has responded to 357 reports of domestic violence, 195 reports of sexual abuse and 166 reports of child abuse, all via the 6820 platforms.
“What is most exciting about the platform is that it breaks the initial barrier of people not wanting to report formally at an office or police station. We are able to interact directly with survivors and witnesses and take vital steps in dealing with a case.”
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