Sexual Assault: Speak up now, Mrs. Makinde advises victims

From Ogundele Olanrewaju

The wife of Oyo state governor, Engineer Tamunominini Makinde has called on the community and victims of sexually assaulted to speak-our and report the perpetrators to the security agencies inorder to reduce the crime in the society.

She stated this during the occasion of empowerment opportunities for survivor of violence against persons held at the office of the wife of the governor, Agodi.

Mrs Makinde assured the readiness of government to strengthen the police and ministry of women affairs to embrace and work with the victims and restructure some of their activities in their offices where victims are kept inorder to ensure victims are not under undue pressure or mistreated.

She said that “There are a lot of toddler and children below teens-age who are victims, a lot of things are happening, we have institutions that are doing virginity testing should be careful.

“We cannot do it alone and nobody should be sigmatized because they speak-up let us work together to end this.

Mrs Makinde further admonished the community and victims not to settled violence against persons behind the scene inorder not to re-enabling the perpetrators to repeat the crime.

She advised “The community, we cannot do this alone and also for the community we want to say come out to report a case, don’t settle behind the scene because what you are doing is re-enabling the perpetrators to do it again.

“We have look at how help desk in the police would be strengthen and how the ministry of women affairs can be better embrace and work with victims and restructure some of the things they do in their various special homes where victims are now kept to see that victims are not somewhat picked under-undue pressure or mistreated, untreated and also see how the law of the family court can address issues that has grey areas” she said.

In his address, Oyo state Commissioner of police, Adebowale williams assured to support the government to fight against gender-based violence assault against minors.

He guaranteed that “We are here to collaborate, partner with her Excellency another stakeholders to say no to gender based violence and other violence against women and children.

“We will continue to do our best as Excellency has said issues really the family court of victims because without prosecution without the suspect paying for what he or she has done through the legal process, us possible that you giving opportunity to other people to also go to other same crime.

Adebowale further pleaded with the parents and victims of sexually assault victims to always allow justice to take It course inoder to reduce and stop the crime in the society.

He further urged that “We just discuss that, we advice government to strengthen the family court with a good court process in place and we believe that we will be able to shame some of this criminals and reduce crime in our society” he said.

The dignitaries at the event are: Oyo State Commissioner of police, CP Adebowale williams, Oyo state Attorney general, Prof. Oyelowo Oyewo, Commissioner for Special duties Mrs Fausat Joke-Sanni, Commissioner for women affairs and social inclusion, represented by the permanent secretary to the ministry, Mrs Grace Oderinde, Commissioner for health, Dr. Bode Ladipo and Oyo state head of Service, Mrs Ololade Agboola.