THE Oyo State Programme officer for the Resilient System for Sustainable Health Development/COVID-19 Response Mechanism (RSSH C19-RM) project, Mr Oluseun Adebiyi, has declared that the worsening gender-based violence in Nigeria is a concern due to its health implication on children.
Mr Adebiyi, who spoke at a Gender-Based Violence (GBV) coordination meeting by RSSH C19-RM, said domestic violence, a form of gender-based violence, is increasing in Nigeria, and it has become a shadow pandemic because nobody is coming out to say much about it, even in the 5 LGAs that the RSSH C19-RM project is intervening in.
The RSSH C19-RM project has been implemented by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), utilising a combination of networks, including the Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria (NEPWHAN), the Civil Society for Malaria Control, Immunisation, and Nutrition (ACOMIN), and TB networks, with NEWPHAN taking the lead among other community-based organisations (CBOs).
He declared that gender-based violence, particularly domestic violence, is becoming more rampant but triggered more now by anger, unemployment, drugs and alcohol, religion, and inter-tribal marriage.
“In September 2024, five GBV outreaches were done within five schools in Ibadan North East, Ibadan South East, Oyo East, Egbeda, and Ona Ara Local government areas, as well as small group discussions in 2 schools and 3 artisan association meetings.
“During these outreaches, varying cases of abuse were observed, which ranged from sexual, physical, and domestic abuses. But many domestic violence cases were unreported. This gives a concern because it is being committed in the presence of children and it has a very bad effect on them.
“From the time of COVID-19 till date, there has been a 69% increase in domestic violence. This gives a big concern, particularly because researchers have proved that domestic violence can be a learnt habit. They grow up to become perpetrators of violence, either to their wives or to their husbands.
“There is a thin line between domestic violence and abuse in the family. You can have abuse in the family or violence. The action can either be violent or not violent. Also, so many misconceptions on violence against women centre on its cause.
“Men can’t control their anger or sexual urge,”“alcohol causes men to be violent,” and “women couldn’t leave violent partners if they wanted to do so.” Alcohol is not an excuse.
If you don’t have that character in you,to be a wife-beater or to cause domestic violence, it will not come as a result of you being drunk.”
Secretary of the International Federation of Female Lawyers, Toritseju Ikime, in a reaction, said that there are enabling laws in Nigeria to prevent gender violence and urged people to report to the police station or NGOs around them perpetrators of violence around them.
“A lot of people don’t even know that these are wrong doings. So there is need for sensitisation, including going to schools to talk to children to catch them young,” she added.
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