Lagos Advocates Stronger Penalties Against Gender-Related Violence

Lagos State has advo
cated a stronger action against sexual and other forms of gender-based violence.
Through the Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), the state government is committed in battling all forms of gender abuse.
Commissioner for Science and Technology, Mr. Olufemi Olubiyi, restated the state’s commitment to ending sexual violence while speaking during an “Evening of Arts and commendation ceremony” organized by DSVRT.
The event was part of activities marking the end of a month-long campaign against gender-based violence.
“Sexual and gender-based violence are vices we must courageously eliminate in our society. We cannot continue to witness the victimization of our women anymore. They are dehumanizing traumatizing. They are leaving our women psychologically imbalanced.
“We all must agree that the time for complacency is long gone. The silence associated with violence against women and children are well on the way to being broken”, Olubiyi said.
The commissioner, who represented Governor Akinwumi Ambode, also lamented that the evil associated with domestic and sexual violence against women and children is assuming a frightening dimension.
Hence the state would continue to sensitise and educate people about gender based violence.
“We shall continue to promote and ensure the right and welfare of the most vulnerable in our society are adequately protected and implemented and work towards achieving the desired goal irrespective of gender,” he added.
Chairman of the DSVRT and Lagos Attorney-General, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, represented by the solicitor-general, Mrs. Funlola Odunlami, reiterated that government would ensure that all perpetrators of gender based violence face the wrath of the law.
Highlight of the “Evening of Arts and commendation ceremony” was the use of painting and drawing by final year students of Yaba College of Technology and two stage plays by the Kininoso concept Troupe to campaign against sexual and domestic violence against women and children.