Use Your Influence To Curb Sexual, Gender Violence, Lagos Government Charges Traditional Rulers

Traditional rulers in Lagos have been urged by the state government to exert their influence and closeness to the people in their communities in curbing sexual, gender and domestic violence.

The advice was issued by Mrs Titilola Viviour-Adeniyi, the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) on Thursday, in Lagos.

She spoke during a One-Day Roundtable With Traditional Rulers On The Prevalence Of Sexual And Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).

Viviour-Adeniyi urged the traditional rulers to use the proactive measures and practices adopted by the state government to ensure that SGBV, if not completely eradicated, was brought to the barest minimum in the state.

She said that the engagement was deliberate due to the prevalence of SGBV in the society, which required a timely intervention.

”In the context of preventing and ending Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, traditional rulers are one of the strategic groups that must be considered, because our Royal Majesties, the custodians of our culture, have access to different segments of the population, including those who are marginalised and harder to reach.

”In many regions of the world, traditional rulers, by virtue of their long-standing presence and service in diverse communities, have come to command the trust and respect of local population.

”We understand that in certain instances, traditional rulers sometimes serve as the first port of call immediately after a case of domestic or sexual violence occurs.

”Certain times, such cases end up being ‘resolved’ at the palaces, without adhering to the state government’s referral pathway,” she said.

According to her, this non adherence to government referral pathway, therefore, promotes the culture of impunity as perpetrators are not held legally accountable for their actions, even as survivors are not able to access holistic support.

”It is, therefore, of utmost importance that traditional rulers are promptly and regularly engaged on these issues, their role in preventing and responding to incidents reported and most importantly, the need to have interface with government,” she said.

Vivour-Adeniyi said that in the past one year, the agency recorded a total of 4,860 cases via the Virtual Referral and Response Service (VRRS), and physical report.