As the campaign by rights groups against gender-based violence continues to heighten, the Nigeria Police Force has come into the picture. To ensure that reported cases of sexual abuses are handled with zeal and attention it deserves, the Lagos State Police Command organised a workshop recently to sensitise its officers and men on the Violence Against Persons’ Prohibition (VAPP) Bill, writes Senior Correspondent, ONYEWUCHI OJINNAKA.
The officers and men of the Nigeria police have been described as one of the agents that could reverse the orgy of sexual violence against women and young girls, by bringing the perpetrators of the crime to face the the law. Against this backdrop, the police should therefore not treat any reported case of sexual abuse or violence against women with kid gloves.
In a two-day sensitisation workshop on Women’s Reproductive Health and Rights and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Bill, held in Lagos recently for police personnel, the President of International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Hauwa Shekarau, noted that time has come when the police should, as a matter of importance, understand what really constitutes violence against persons’ rights, especially the females, adding that in the event of violation of such rights, the police should not hesitate to bring the perpetrators to book.
In her opening remarks at the workshop, Shekarau, who is also a senior policy advisor, Ipas Nigeria, reminded the police that they are the agents that could reverse the ugly trend of sexual violence which is ravaging the society.
She pointed out that as well-trained and intelligent officers, and in the event of any sexual violence such as rape, it is germane that policemen know some of the things that could lead to violation of rights and help prevent such before they occur.
“For instance, when a woman approaches the police station to complain of verbal harassment either by her spouse or neighbour or even colleague, the policeman on the counter at the station should not dismiss such report as a mere domestic threat, but should follow up on the matter to prevent its advancing to a crime,” Shekarau advised.
According to her, “Many times, what is labelled as domestic affair do turn out to become crime that could have been averted if only the police had been responsive at the beginning.”
She also decried the absence of protocol in the management of sexual violence in the country saying.
“If there is a protocol in place to ensure recognition, management and prosecution of cases of sexual violence and people are aware of what steps to take in the event of a violation, there would have been a proper handling of incidences of rape.
“Situations where a victim of rape washes off herself before going to report at the police station or presents self at the hospital destroys the needed evidence to knock down the perpetrator.
“However, while we are advocating for the development of protocols, we would advise that any victim of rape should never tamper with the proof, rather go straight to the police who are the first responder; and the police also have the duty to immediately take the victim to the hospital where she can be immediately examined, while any available evidence is taken and preserved for the courts,” Shekarau appealed.
While also speaking at the event, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Kayode Aderanti, who was represented by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Yaba Police Station, Adekunle, CSP Akin Adamu, observed that the universal recognition that human rights are fundamental to human existence has placed the police on the spot to be regularly updated on what violation of human rights.
Adamu cautioned that in situations where a man thinks he could beat up his wife as a form of punishment, regarding it as a domestic affair is no longer tolerated, as it amounts to violation of the right of the woman.
“That comes under assault or wife battering which is a criminal offence,” he pointed out.
According to him, the training is part of the human resources development that the Lagos Police Command has embarked upon to make its personnel relevant in their duty posts, saying that it is one of the visions of the Nigeria Police today.
He charged the participants to open their minds to the relevance of the programme to their duty posts “as this will surely count for them in their career development”.
During the workshop sessions, the participants were tutored on value clarification exercise, consequences of sexual violence, various international conventions, policy and legal framework for promoting women’s health, abortion, the law and why Nigerian youths are the most vulnerable and at risk of sexual violence among others.
