The Lagos State government said no fewer than 2,588 children were sexually and emotionally abused during various domestic violence recorded in the state between August 2022 and July 2023.
The permanent secretary and solicitor general, Ms. Titilayo Shitta-Bey, stated this at a media briefing as part of activities to flag off the 2023 Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month held under the theme ‘Not in my Lagos.’
Shitta-Bey who was represented by the executive secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, also said 40 per cent of those children had undergone counselling to ensure they can psychologically deal with what they experienced so that they would not have permanent and negative impact on them.
“From August 1, 2022, to July 31, 2023, the agency has handled 5624 cases which are into two categories, adults and children.
“The agency now receives an average of 250 clients every month. For adults- 91 per cent of survivors were female, 9 per cent were male, while for children- 45 per cent of survivors were boys, 55 per cent were girls.
“In the period under review, the Agency has provided services to 7 Persons with Disabilities who were experiencing one form of Gender-Based Violence or the other.
“The youngest child that experienced sexual violence was an 18-month-old baby, while the oldest client that experienced domestic violence was a 79-year-old woman,” she said.
