ABEOKUTA/Nigeria: Key stakeholders in Ogun State have called for enhanced inter-agency collaboration, improved investigative processes and trauma-informed support systems to strengthen the fight against sexual violence and improve justice delivery for survivors.
The call was made at a stakeholders’ dialogue on sexual and gender-based violence organised by the Headfort Foundation for Justice, themed: “Strengthening Laws, Policies and Institutional Coordination to Improve Justice Delivery in Sexual Violence Cases.”
Participants at the forum agreed that the primary challenge was not the absence of laws but gaps in implementation, capacity constraints and limited public awareness. They noted the existence of a sexual offenders’ register at the High Court and urged periodic review of relevant laws to ensure balance, effectiveness and responsiveness to emerging realities.
Hon. Justice Odubanjo underscored the need for virtual court proceedings and the deployment of trained intermediaries to support vulnerable witnesses, stressing that judicial innovation could significantly reduce secondary trauma for survivors.
A survivor, whose identity was withheld, shared her experience of rape and early pregnancy, drawing attention to the long-term psychological and social trauma victims endure.
SP Bumi Asogbon observed that many cases go unreported due to compromised medical evidence, family pressure and fear of stigma. She maintained that strengthening investigations would enhance conviction rates and reduce reliance on confessional statements.
The Ogun State Ministry of Women Affairs disclosed that Sexual Assault Referral Centres had increased from one to four across the state since 2014, adding that the average turnaround time for advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions had been reduced to two months.
The Arogi Trauma Care Foundation emphasised the importance of empathy and professional trauma-informed care in handling survivors, noting that insensitive responses often discourage victims from pursuing justice.
Representatives of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and the Nigerian Bar Association stressed that addressing sexual violence requires collective responsibility. They observed that many perpetrators are known to their victims and called for greater focus on root causes, prevention strategies and community engagement.
In her message, the Chief Judge of Ogun State, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, advocated survivor-centred jurisprudence driven by the judiciary. She cited Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution and the Ogun State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2017, as strong legal frameworks capable of delivering justice if effectively implemented.
Dipeolu identified implementation gaps, an adversarial evidential culture and institutional silos as key barriers to justice delivery. She called for stricter management of cross-examination, the use of video links and trained intermediaries, as well as coordinated protocols linking police, prosecutors, medical professionals and the courts.
Mrs. Oluyemi Orija, Executive Director of the Headfort Foundation for Justice, said the organisation had provided free legal aid since 2019, benefiting over 1,000 inmates, while its outreach programmes continued to educate communities on human rights and access to justice.
She added that the foundation’s “My Rights, My Freedom” project, launched in 2024, sensitises girls aged 10 to 23 on reporting procedures and legal protections, noting that the initiative seeks to address low prosecution and conviction rates despite high levels of reported cases.
Participants at the dialogue ultimately recommended stronger stakeholder coordination, effective enforcement of existing laws and sustained victim support mechanisms as critical steps toward combating sexual violence and restoring public confidence in the justice system.
