Lagos State engages Traditional rulers in the fight against Gender-based violence

The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), in furthering its campaign against the criminal act, engaged traditional rulers on sexual and gender- based violence and their role as responders, last weekend.

The team was led by its Coordinator, Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, and had in attendance, the Oba of Lagos, His Royal Majesty, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu and 30 other royal fathers. She said that as traditional rulers, the counsel they gave to victims of rape, defilement and domestic violence and their family members could go a long way in making or marring a case.

She said, “This engagement is premised on the Governor’s desire to engage members of the community and relevant stakeholders on these crimes, enlighten them on the impact on the victim and the society, and in most communities where these acts are being perpetrated, the first responders are usually traditional rulers.

“There have been several instances where victims have said that traditional rulers and other opinion leaders, whom they held in high regard, had convinced them in settling their matter out of court. The fact that handling such crimes and the decision to discontinue a case can only be taken by the Attorney General was reiterated at the meeting.”

She said as first time responders, the royal fathers were given protocol responses to rape, defilement, domestic violence, child abuse and neglect.

“In instances of domestic violence, the response should not be to ask victims to return back to the home where the abuse has occurred, but rather refer them to a safe haven (e.g. shelter home, or a trusted family member). Whilst for rape, the first step should be to refer the victim to the hospital where the victim can be treated and the evidence of the crime preserved.”

Vivour-Adeniyi said the traditional rulers were also given resource materials in the form of posters and stickers, which, they promised, would be shared out in their domains.

She is positive that the meeting will result in an improved partnership with traditional rulers, crime reporting, communities’ response in handling reports of sexual violence, abuse and crime, a reduction in the occurrence of crime and the spread of knowledge that out-of-court settlements no longer be allowed.