Wife of Lagos State Governor,Dr. (Mrs.) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu has charged chairmen of the 20 local councils and 37 local council development areas (LCDAs) in the state to ensure that their domains are rape-free.
She lamented that among the LGAs and LCDAs, only Surulere was declared a rape-free society. She enjoined Lagosians to join hands in ensuring that women and children are safe in the state.
She made this call, yesterday, during a rape-free community and men against rape road walk, organised by Mirable Centre in Surulere, Lagos. She urged rape victims to break their silence and ensure that perpetrators don’t go scot-free.
She said: “Rape is a sin against God and humanity. We pray that God will make it possible for other LGAs and LCDAs to emulate Surulere in declaring their community a rape-free zone.”
![[FILES] LASTMA officials impound a vehicle at Anthony bus stop, Lagos. Photo: Eniola Daniel](https://www.afriupdate.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Lag-2-1062x598-1.jpg "LASG begins impounding of unpainted commercial vehicles 2")
Mirable Centre Manager, Mrs. Juliet Olumuyiwa-Rufai, said the centre had attended to over 5000 rape cases, which are increasing daily, as many rape cases are not reported. She explained that people engage in rape because they feel the victims cannot speak out or report them to the police.
She said: “But today, we create awareness to encourage any woman or children that have been assaulted sexually to take courage and come forward without fear to report the case.”
Joy Onoriose, a counsellor at the centre said: “Our door is open to anyone going through sexual abuse or violence. We have not turned away anyone, no matter their story, because there is no excuse or justification for rape.”
The Mirabel is a modest two-room building located within the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in the heart of the city. Since opening its doors, counsellors said they have helped a diverse age range of victims, ranging from young children to a 70-year-old woman, though more than 70 percent of treated victims are under 18.
“The centre covers the cost of medical tests for sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy, as well as drugs and contraceptives…” Onoriose said.
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