The Ogun state government has inaugurated a sexual assault referral centre at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH).
At the inauguration held in Sagamu on Wednesday, Bamidele, wife of Dapo Abiodun, governor of Ogun, said the initiative is to provide support to victims of sexual assault.
She said it is imperative for victims of sexual assault to be rehabilitated and reintegrated into society, adding that government will do everything within its capacity to ensure justice for them.
“The menace has become the order of the day in our society and we are assuring that in this state, such crime will reduce drastically with the inauguration of the referral centre,” she said.
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“This may manifest in different ways when they have memory flashbacks and can result in panic attacks, nightmares, intrusive thoughts and memories.”
Also speaking at the event, Akingbolahan Adeniran, Ogun attorney-general and commissioner for justice, noted that the state will ensure proper investigation and prosecution of cases relating to gender-based violence.
Adeniran, who was represented by Olumide Mustapha, special adviser to the governor on legal matters, added that support for victims through empowerment and rehabilitation will help reduce the adverse effects of such experiences.
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In her remarks, Uller Mueller, country representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), called for support to ensure peaceful coexistence as well as providing enabling environments to residents to thrive.
The centre is a collaboration involving the Ogun state government, United Nations Population Fund, and Polaris Bank.
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