By FLORENCE ONUEGBU

The Lagos State Government has warned parents, religious leaders, traditional rulers, community leaders and school authorities against concealing cases of child sexual abuse.

Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, Executive Secretary, Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), gave the warning on Wednesday at a one-day capacity-building workshop on prosecuting sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) cases.

The workshop was organised by DSVA in collaboration with the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Lagos State Ministry of Justice.

Vivour-Adeniyi said anyone who concealed such abuse risked up to three years’ imprisonment.

She said the government was determined to enforce the law against anyone who attempted to conceal child sexual abuse.

She added that legal provisions must be implemented to protect children.

According to her, the workshop was designed to strengthen private prosecutors’ capacity to handle SGBV cases, improve case preparation and promote a survivor-centred approach to justice.

She urged prosecutors to understand the psychological effects of trauma and refer survivors requiring psychosocial support or empowerment to appropriate state services.

Vivour-Adeniyi also disclosed that the Lagos State Government had established a Survivor Trust Fund to provide grants for high-risk survivors.

She said the grants would cater for needs such as accommodation, business development, relocation, education and medical assistance.

She urged survivors to seek help through the agency’s toll-free line, office or social media platforms.

“There is help. As far as you are in Lagos, there is help for you,” the executive secretary said.

Mrs Atinuke Odukoya, Executive Director, Centre for Women’s Health and Information (CEWHIN), urged prosecutors to adopt trauma-informed practices and respect survivors’ safety, confidentiality, rights and wishes.

Odukoya, who facilitated a session on trauma-informed care and counselling, said trauma could affect survivors’ ability to recall and recount their experiences.

She said sensitive communication was therefore essential during interviews and court proceedings.

She advised prosecutors to explain legal processes and available options to survivors, obtain informed consent and avoid insensitive questioning that could re-traumatise them.

Also speaking, a participant, Mrs Victoria Alonge, a partner at SimmonsCooper Partners, said survivors’ fear of testifying in court remained a major challenge in prosecuting sexual offences.

Alonge said counselling and continuous engagement were necessary to help survivors overcome their fears and participate in court proceedings.

She also urged parents to teach children about personal boundaries, including how to reject unwanted physical contact and report inappropriate behaviour.

She said children should be encouraged to report such behaviour even when it involved trusted relatives or caregivers.

Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Special Offences Court, High Court of Lagos State, urged private prosecutors to prepare their cases diligently and ensure that all material evidence was presented before the court.

Oshodi said the prosecution must prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, adding that any reasonable doubt must be resolved in favour of the defendant.

He said acquittals arising from insufficient evidence were a consequence of the adversarial justice system and the constitutional protections afforded to defendants.

Oshodi added that prosecutors must properly evaluate evidence in their final addresses.

He said prosecutorial authorisation carried the responsibility of representing the state diligently and professionally.

Mr Adebayo Haroun, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, emphasised professionalism, accountability and adherence to prosecutorial standards.

Haroun, represented by Mrs Adebanke Ogunrode, a director at DPP, urged private prosecutors to apply the knowledge gained to improve case management.

He urged them to improve evidence presentation and courtroom practice, noting that effective coordination with DPP could strengthen prosecution outcomes and survivors’ access to justice. (NAN)