Africa Press-Nigeria:
The First Lady of Ekiti State, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, has charged the 16 Local Government Chairmen in the state to establish and maintain sexual assault referral centres in their respective localities, as a matter of urgency.
Erelu Fayemi made this appeal on Wednesday during an advocacy meeting with the chairmen of the local government bosses at the Adunni Olayinka Women Centre, Ado-Ekiti, the state capital. The meeting was part of the advocacy being championed by her office to check the incessant cases of rape and violence against women in the state.
Mrs. Fayemi revealed that rape and other gender-based violence being perpetrated in the society were currently alarming, especially during the lockdown period.
“We’ve always had problems with violence against women and children but with the COVID-19 lockdown, these incidences have risen. Because if there is a woman or girl in a neighbourhood who is under threat, during the day at least, they can go to work, or they can go to school. But with the lockdown, everyone is kept within the household or the community and so it gives perpetrators easier access to them, and so we are witnessing an increase in levels of violence against women and children,” she pointed out.
