The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), has equipped parents with the relevant skill-set and information to boost their knowledge of preventing sexual and domestic violence cases.
Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, the agency’s secretary, disclosed this at a one-day interactive conference on safeguarding and child protection, adding that the rise in cases of domestic and sexual violence was the reason behind the sensitisation programme.
She was represented by the Head of Clinical Psychology Department, Olive Oluwagbemileke, stating that the growing trend of rape culture in primary and secondary schools in the state resulted in the need for the agency to call on parents, teachers and caregivers from Education District V to ensure they keep a safe watch over their children.
She said the state government is determined to get rid of this threat and make sure those who do it face the full force of the law.
“The agency has left no stone unturned and had taken its sensitisation drive to communities, schools, religious leaders and traditional rulers, and also trained law enforcement agents and other relevant stakeholders.
“The agency had also made headway by collaborating with the Office of Education Quality Assurance and the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, urging parents, caregivers, teachers and school owners to key into government policies and programmes in providing a better society for their wards,” she said.
Also speaking at the conference, the Director, Monitoring and Investigation, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Akodu Kamardeen said: “The programme came at the right time to sensitise parents on the need to protect their children from abusers and shared instances of intervention in the course of duty, just has he called for more parental care and awareness on the part of parents.”
One of the facilitators and State Coordinator, Child Protection Network, Ronke Oyelakin, said the conference was designed to equip parents to safeguard their children and address the grappling issues of violence that children are faced with.
Oyelakin further stressed that all stakeholders have collective roles and responsibility to instill good values in children towards a great future to promote a wholesome society devoid of all forms of abuse.
