Women have been advised to allow the law take its course on incidences of sexual and gender based violence happening within their markets.
The Centre Assistant of Ireti Resource Centre, Nneoma Ezuma, made the call during the sensitisation and awareness creation on prevention of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) organised by the Centre for 21st Century in partnership with Women’s Right and Health Project.
Speaking at the event held at Bariga Market Secretariat, Lagos, she said: “The increasing number of women facing sexual and gender based violence is worrisome and our markets have equally been hit with this menace. Market women should speak up and not cover up perpetrators of SGVB.”
She noted that from evidence, mediation and settling cases of SGBV out of court has not deterred perpetrators of gender based violence as many of them go about defiling girls and women without restraints.
She posited that cases of gender based violence should be reported to the police, more importantly, the gender desk within the police stations so that the law will take its course against such acts.