Lagos State DSVRT 2016 Rape Report: Alimosho LGA Records Highest Incidents

A new report by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, DSVRT, has shed light on the prevalence of rape, sexual assault and domestic violence in parts of Lagos state. According to the report signed by head of DSVRT, Mrs. Lola Vivour-Adeniyi, the agency handled 450 cases of rape, sexual assault and domestic violence between January and December 2016.

Out of these cases, 27 were child defilement, 15 rape and nine attempted rape cases while there were 13 cases of sexual assault by penetration.

The report, however, showed that Alimosho Local Government Area of the state takes the lion share of such cases in the year 2016 with 99 reported cases in contrast to the area with the closest number, Ikeja Local Government, with 38 cases.

Also, the report showed that the team handled 46 child abuse and 293 domestic abuse cases last year.

 “All the victims of sexual assault received medical attention from the Mirabel Centre (sexual assault referral centre) and state hospitals. So far, all of such cases were charged to court,” Vivour-Adeniyi said.

According to her, as a result of lack of adequate access to medical care for survivors of sexual assaults, the state made available rape kits across primary health centres in the state.

Meanwhile, Vivour-Adeniyi said a research conducted by her team in all prisons in Lagos showed that 80.9 per cent of inmates convicted or awaiting trial for a sex offence were abused as children.

“But none of the inmates sampled said they were aroused by what their victim wore. This further debunks the myth that mode of dressing is a reason why people rape,” she said.

Culled from: Punch Newspaper