As part of efforts to reduce cases of sexual abuse among children, Women At Risk International Foundation (WARIF) has called on psycho-social support to help children get out of depression and trauma.
Kemi Dasilva Ibru the founder of WARIF said, psycho-social support will help children get out of depression and trauma “Training expertise on sanitization, counselling and trauma is an important aspect of care and we need it for our Nigeria children, this would help them get out of the crisis of trauma.
“The WARIF centre has officially announced the WARIF Educational School Program (WESP) in Lagos state to prompt awareness on the implications of immorality and improves their knowledge of sexual abuse at early stage’’
She stated that through the WESP initiative, accurate data has been obtained on the prevalence of cases of sexual assault and rape in school children as well as identifying their patterns of behaviour. This relevant data can be used in implementing important intervention strategies to assist in addressing gender based violence.
“The Foundation serves as the prototype for a warm, friendly safe haven for women at risk. It provides, through qualified fulltime staff, medical treatment and forensic examinations needed, especially within the first 72 hours of an assault; psychosocial counseling is carried out by trained social workers, who obtained specialised training by staff from the Washington DC Rape Crisis Centre in Washington DC (one of the organisations in partnership with WARIF).
“A 24-hour confidential help line is also available at the centre to address the needs of those who call for assistance or to report an assault,” she added.
DaSilva-Ibru, who said this at press briefing, disclosed that the Foundation, under WARIF Educational School Program (WESP), with the approval of the Lagos State Ministry of Education, had visited 10 public secondary schools under District IV, over 1000 questionnaires were distributed anonymously to school children between the ages of 13 -16 in 10 selected government secondary schools in Lagos.
However, enrolled in the survey revealed that 86 per cent of the respondent, both male and female, believed that sex education can help reduce the incidence of rape and sexual assaults.
She said it was furthered revealed that 52 per cent of boys noted that the types of films they watch contribute to why boys may engage in rape.
DaSilva-Ibru said “key findings in the survey revealed that one in four adolescents knows at least one survivour of rape”.
“One in three adolescents identified fathers as abusers, while one in every eight girls is willing to report a case of rape or sexual assault”, said DaSilva-Ibru.
Lola Vivour- Adeniyi the Coordinator, Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, (DSVRT), said, In response to the growing need for the immediate attendance of victims at police stations, the DSVRT in active collaboration with the Nigerian Police Force have presently sensitized family support units across the state.
“Equipped with well-trained officers and practitioners, the family support units are geared towards ensuring that victims are given a fair hearing and offered strict confidentiality when sharing their grievance” said Adeniyi.
Anthonia Obokoh
