Hello everyone, in the light of the wave of sexual violence currently being reported within Lagos State and Nigeria at large, and the response of the general public to these reports, we @DSVRT thought fit to put out some information on sexual  violence #SGBV

THREAD

1. The first thing to note is that rape is NEVER the fault of the survivor. It is NOT caused by where they were, what they wore, said or did. Rape and sexual assault are brutal acts of violence committed by the perpetrators. The fault lies with the perpetrators.

2. If the assault has just occurred, ensure the survivor does not bathe, douche, eat, drink or wash any parts of their body until the medical examination is done.

3. Encourage the survivor to visit the closest primary health care centre, Mirabel centre @MirabelCentreNG or WARIF @WARIF_NG as soon as possible for free medical care and crisis support.

4. Please dial *6820# or 0813-796-0048 to report the incident or make a report at the Family Support Unit (FSU) of the closest police station to ensure the case is investigated and the perpetrator prosecuted.

5. Ascertain if the survivor has any physical evidence of the assault; including all clothing and records of communication with the perpetrator, if any, and ensure these are well preserved and documented.

6. Place each item in a separate bag, as samples would be collected and sent to the Lagos State DNA Lab for forensic examination.

7. Encourage the survivor to document as much detail about the assault as possible, including descriptions of the assailant, both in writing and by verbal recordings.

8. When someone discloses a rape or sexual assault incident to you, please do not overreact. An overly emotional response may cause the survivor, particularly minors to withdraw into their shell.

9. Instead, display empathy by listening with your full attention and giving the person the space to speak freely without judgment. Allow them take breaks where necessary and show support with encouraging words and positive body language.

10. Sexual assault and Rape are crimes against the person and the State. Please do not attempt to “settle” it at home. Please do NOT threaten, counsel or discourage the survivor from making a formal report.

11. Reporting a rape or sexual assault incident can kickstart the much needed process of healing and ensure the survivor receives justice. Prosecution of sexual assault cases also ensures the perpetrators do not continue to carry out these heinous crimes on others.

12. However, please follow official channels of reporting to protect the integrity of the case and as much as possible, avoid putting details of the case on social media until officials give the go ahead.

12(b). Social media reporting of cases often puts vulnerable survivors at further risk and ultimately does more harm than good.

Please see this video for steps to take if you have been raped or sexually assaulted and a list of police stations in Lagos State equipped to handle cases of sexual and gender based violence.