*Mrs Vivour-Adeniyi A detailed overview of data recorded over the last six years has revealed that 1,108 men have reported incidents of dome...
A detailed overview of data recorded over the last six years has revealed that 1,108 men have reported incidents of domestic violence.
The Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), Mrs. Titilola Vivour -Adeniyi disclosed at the launch of the 'Hidden Crime -Violence Against Project" held yesterday at the Adeyemo Bero Auditorium, Alawusa, Ikeja.
She said the figure does not include male children that have experienced one form of GBV or the other.
Mrs Vivour -Adeniyi also disclosed that a recently concluded community engagement in over ten Local Government areas revealed that among residents of Lagos, there has been less enlightenment and spotlight on men who are victims or survivors of SGBV.
She disclosed further that a research conducted in 2016, in partnership with the Nigerian Prisons Service, now Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS) revealed that out of the 140 sex convicts, 80.per cent of them revealed that they were sexually abused at an early age, some as young as six years old and as such were exposed to unhealthy sexual relationships.
She however lamented that majority of them did not receive psycho-social support and as such they began abusing others, thereby revealing the abused-abuser trend.
She recalled that Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu of Lagos state during his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023, informed Lagosians of the addition of PLUS into the THEMES Agenda.
She said the PLUS represented Social Inclusion, Gender equality and youth.
,"Indeed, SGBV is one of the of greatest hindrances to achieving “Gender Equality”. It is therefore for these reasons, that the Agency deemed it expedient to conceptualize this project-The Hidden Crime, Violence against men", she said.
Mrs Vivour -Adeniyi expressed confidence that this would be an opportunity to continue to break the culture of silence, which encourages SGBV to thrive.
She said men and boys can be victims of domestic and sexual violence adding that it is therefore important that the male folk are aware of this and that there is no shame in their pain.
One of the facilitators, Tobi Ikudaisi said that in 2022 alone, findings revealed that 281 men suffered domestic violence in the hands of their spouses which he said contrasted to women reporting domestic violence cases.
He said a lot of people have been complaining that focus should not be on women alone but also the men because they also suffer domestic violence.
Ikudaisi urged the DSVA to put up an initiative to ensure that voices of men are also heard.
He noted that many men keep quiet when they suffer domestic violence in the hands of their wives so that they are not labelled as weaklings.
He listed factors preventing men coming out to disclose they suffer violence in the hands of women to include children, culture , religious attitude and the society among others.
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