Lagos records 3,089 Sexual & Domestic Violence Cases in 8 Months

As Lagos state commemorates “The Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month” this September, the State commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Mr Adeniji Kazeem has revealed that the state has recorded 3,089 cases of sexual and domestic violence past eight months.

The statistics given during Monday’s conference themed Securing the Home against Violence: Everyone’s Responsibility saw the commissioner, represented by Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry for Justice, Funmilola Odunlami, reveal further that the 2018 figure had increased over 200 percent compared to previous years with 2017 at 1,044.

During the year under review, Kazeem said:

From January to August 2018, DSVRT received 3,089 reported cases. This indicates that the number of reports has doubled since 2017 when DVSRT handled a total of 1044 cases for the entire year. From January till August, 2018, the Team handled 1,037 cases in the office: 939 Domestic Violence cases, 245 Child Abuse, 40 defilement cases 22 rape cases, 13 cases of attempt to commit Rape and Sexual Assault by penetration. Also, 10 sexual assault by penetration and 48 other cases were also recorded. We have started to see an average of 150 new cases monthly.

On the strides of the Domestic & Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) commissioned in 2017, the commissioner revealed that “From January 1, 2018 till date, DSVRT has received 2,052 reports via the 6820 short-code”.

He also added that the team now has a stronger focus on Children especially those who have witnessed domestic violence. The platform also allows for people who are worried about physically reporting the abusive person. According to him, a total of 1,187 children have been exposed to domestic violence within their homes.

Finally, he added that the Lagos Public Interest Law Partnership provided free legal assistance to 52 of the survivors of the domestic violence, ranging from judicial separation, divorce, custody of children, mediation and settlement.