Sexual, Gender-based Violence Rises In Adamawa

• Records 774 cases, convicts 297 persons

Adamawa State is currently battling the rising challenges of sexual and gender-based violence with about 774 cases recorded between 2020 and the first half of 2021.

However, the cheering news is that 297 perpetrators of these criminal acts have so far been convicted across the Northeast state.

Technical Lead and Conflict Analyst of the Managing Conflict in Nigeria (MCN) Programme, Dr Ukohi Ukiwo,  who reeled out the disturbing figures in Yola, Adamawa State capital lamented that; “Sexual and gender-based violence are occurring more in communities because of the absence of care and the silence that followed the incidents.’’

Ukiwo told participants at the opening of a five-day capacity building workshop, organised to educate them on identifying and providing emergency treatment for victims, that collaborative effort was on to address the challenges of sexual and gender-based violence

He said; “We hope that by training of primary healthcare personnel who are closer to the people, the survivors will be able to have an emergency and first aid treatment”, adding; “Through emergency treatment, first-hand evidence will be gathered to enable the authorities to prosecute perpetrators.’’

The MCN Conflict Analyst said with the training closer to communities, the issues around gathering and managing early pieces of evidence will be effectively handled by relevant officials.

On the effective way and solution to tackling and eradicating the threat, Ukiwo called for prompt and diligent prosecution of perpetrators, saying that such actions taken by the government and relevant stakeholders would serve as a deterrent to others.

For him; “The reason why violent cases persist is that most perpetrators go free’’ with society seemingly at ease encouraging and maintaining silence over such criminal acts.

Also speaking at the occasion, Executive Chairman of Adamawa State Primary Healthcare DevelopmentAgency (ASPHDA), Dr Bashir Sulaiman, assured that the Agency was positively responding to sexual and gender-based violence in the state.

He said the training’s core objective is to create awareness and empower participants with knowledge on how to easily detect suspects and victims of sexual and gender-based violence.

According to him; “Our personnel are available and well trained and have tools to counsel and guide in the three sexual assault referral centres in the state. Where there is need for justice, we do that through various partners.’’

The workshop has about 50 participants from 21 local government areas of the state, including doctors, nurses and counsellors on the management of sexual and gender-based violence.

It is packaged by ASPHDAin partnership with MCN and funded by the British Council through the EuropeanUnion (EU). – With NAN reports