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- Says sexual abuse by parents, guardians, teachers, schoolmates unacceptable
From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji, has restated the readiness of the state government to crack down on violators of the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Law most especially sex offenders in the state.
Dr. Oyebanji urged female students to always speak up and report issues of sexual harassment and offences of attempted rape, rape, sexual molestation and defilement to her office for prompt action to get perpetrators of the offences punished under Ekiti State GBV (Prohibition) Law 2019.
Dr. Oyebanji made the call on Tuesday during the first day of her interactive session with male and female students of public schools tagged BAORESS Interface With Adolescents Project (BIWAP) held at Mary Immaculate Grammar School, Ado Ekiti for participants drawn from Ekiti Central Senatorial District.
According to a statement by her Senior Special Assistant on Media, Odunayo Ogunmola, the First Lady in a lecture she delivered at the event also called for the establishment of Gender Desks in all public schools in the state to curb sexual abuse of students and offer the needed counsel to victims.
The Governor’s wife expressed dismay that majority of perpetrators of GBV including sexual abuse are familiar individuals like parents, guardians, relations, teachers, neighbours, schoolmates, security men, drivers and bike riders engaged to convey pupils to schools.
Concerned about the situation, she said: “All schools in the state should have Gender Desks to be manned by trained personnel, Gender Desk Officers who will be on hand to assist and counsel students suffering abuses in line with the GBV (Prohibition) Law 2019.”
Dr. Oyebanji described Gender-Based Violence (GBV) as a monster that could mar the future of students noting that rape, attempted rape, sexual molestation, defilement also happen in school environment urging students to be vigilant to avoid falling victim.
She also warned students against carrying out physical attacks against fellow students and inappropriate touching of sensitive parts of their colleagues which are punishable under the law.
The First Lady also tasked education authorities in the state to always carry out thorough background checks on teachers being employed into teaching service to prevent innocent students from being sexually abused at school.
Dr. Oyebanji said the state government would not relent in diligently invoking and enforcing laws against GBV to ensure that victims get justice and offenders punished charging students to always speak up and not suffer in silence.
She took time out to reel out penalties against all the offences captured under the Ekiti State GBV (Prohibition) Law 2019 stressing that government would not fold its arm and watch the menace spread like an epidemic.
The Governor’s wife distributed brand new schoolbags to all the students who participated in the session to motivate them. She also answered questions from students on issues touched during her lecture.
The other two senatorial districts, Ekiti South and Ekiti North would take their turns to host the First Lady’s Interface on Wednesday and Thursday respectively with students from schools in the zones expected will benefit from the scheme.
