Omowunmi Mobee speaks on her experience during the Hacey Health Initiative Symposium on “Building conversations around preventing and responding to sexual violence” and the launch Salvus Platform.
The evil of sexual violence is a very serious menace in the society affecting the most vulnerable, mostly children and women. On 6th September 2017, Hacey Health Initiative organized a symposium to raise awareness on the impact of sexual violence and measures to help mitigate such occurrences. The symposium also featured the launch of the Salvus web platform, a web-based platform for reporting sexual violence. The symposium was supported by stakeholders in the public and private sectors, including the Stars Foundation, With and For Girls Collective, EMpower, and Access Bank Plc and other non-governmental organizations(NGOs).
At the symposium, I learned that 35% of reported cases of sexually violence are children within the ages of 10-17 years. The programme also gave me an awakening on the steps to take should there be a case of sexual violence around me. I learned that reacting never yields results but responding brings help. Cases of sexual violence must be reported to help survivors get help and justice. Evidences of violation should be kept as fresh as possible. Medical examination should also be given to the survivor as prompt as possible to help combat possible STIs and STDs and physical damage.
Perpetrators should also be arrested and convicted. I believe this will serve as deterrent to other perpetrators of such gruesome acts.
I also realized the benefits of the rehabilitation which should firstly be easy and confidential to help survivors get back into society as undamaged people. The legal, health and psychological approaches also provide healing for survivors; getting justice, quick and confidential medical attention and a psychologist to talk to when there is need have also been proven to help heal survivors of sexual violence.
The Salvus web platform launched by HACEY was just the icing on the cake. The platform is designed for survivors and witnesses of sexual violence to make reports and get help from the right channels. The platform is very user friendly and confidential which I believe will enable survivors or witnesses feel safe to report or get help. I feel the Salvus platform should be widely accepted by all to help fight this menace and serve justice to perpetrators.
– Omowunmi Omobee
#MySalvus #SexualViolence #Assault #Family #Women #Girls
