To reduce the increasing rate of Gender Based Violence in the Society, stakeholders have advocated the use of local languages to enlightening the masses, and critically examine laws that are slowing down prosecution of violators with a view to enacting new laws that would make the society a safer place to live.
These were the views of stakeholders at a gathering of Journalists, Staff of the Directorate of State Services, the Police and the Officers of the Nigeria Correctional Service, held on Thursday at the Bishop’s Court, Ado Ekiti.
The event was organized by Justice Development and Peace Initiative (JDPI) of the Catholic Diocese of Ekiti State.
Moderating the Programme, the Director of JDPI, Ekiti state, Rev. Father Emmanuel Akingbade described Gender Based Violence as physical, psychological, economical, religious abuse that are rampart among couples, male adults and minors viz- a -viz.
While reiterating the efforts of JDPI to reduce the menace, the Director said the body had taken the campaign and awareness to Oye, Iyin, Ayede, Isan Ado Ekiti. Adding that religious leaders and traditional rulers were carried along in the crusade to have a better society devoid of GBV violence.
Rev Father Akingbade who hinted that the existing laws seem delaying justices at addressing the menace, he advocated compensation to the survivors of GBV violence to drastically reduce the menace in the society. While calling on the police and other relevant agencies to up scale their prowess of covering GBV occurrences and brought perpetrators to book.
He called on journalists and media houses to use local languages for enlightenment Programmes on Gender Based Violence, saying majority of the audience were not well schooled. He said doing that constantly would helped reduced the menace in the society.
The Stakeholders highlighted some of the causes of GBV to include: Culture and tradition which places men above women in all spheres, Illiteracy, illicit drugs and excess consumption of alchol, irresponsible fathers, forceful separation of parents, Government policies which atimes aided indiscipline in public schools, family factors and fear of stigmatization, unemployment among others.
while proffering solutions to GBV in the society, the stakeholders suggested that:
Couples should understand themselves better, good parental care, Government should provide employment for the youths and encourage discipline in schools, compensation to be paid to survivors of GBV and strong punishment should be meted to violators among others.
Calling on the masses to speak up in cases of GBV in their environments and bemoaned families of victims who always abandoned cases after collecting money from perpetrators of GBV.