The Ekiti State Government has established a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) where victims of rape and other molestations will receive medical and psychological attention, rather than being abandoned to suffer.
The government also assured that it will strengthen the adopted policy of naming and shaming of perpetrators of rape, by publishing their photographs on the state’s website and pasting in public palaces.
The wife of the state governor, Mrs Bisi Fayemi gave the revelation on Friday while making a presentation on the floor of the Assembly during an advocacy visit to expand the frontiers of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention in the state.
She stated that the referral centre, located within the premises of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti will provide well guided and discreet medical supports for survivors.
“The SARC will be operational soon. It will attend to GBV survivors in a prompt, discreet and professional manner. Discussions have been held with Council Chairmen to replicate SARC in all their local governments,” she said.
Mrs Fayemi applauded the Assembly for the passage of the Gender-based Violence bill, 2019 and the compulsory treatment and care for Sexually Assaulted Minors Bill, 2020, saying these will help in fast-tracking actions against GBV.
According to her, “We are ready to strengthen this aspect of naming and shaming of perpetrators of rape on social media and in our palaces because it was embedded in our cultural practices not to cover up perpetrators of evil.”
She urged the lawmakers to declare emergency against GBV through a robust and strong legal framework while charging governors in the country to also set up machinery for the promulgation of the laws that will prevent rape and take care of post-event trauma in their states.
The Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Honourable Funminiyi Afuye, who applauded the first lady for her strides in women empowerment and emancipation, said Mrs Fayemi has etched her name in gold as a campaigner for respect for human dignity and protection of Gender.
