September 6, 2022

Dr. Gertrude Njar, Special Adviser to Gov. Ben Ayade, said that failure to report cases of Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Violence Against Children (VAC) was a crime against the state.

Njar said this at the inauguration of community surveillance teams on Tuesday, in Akamkpa and Odukpani Local Government Areas of Cross River.

The programme which is supported by the Spotlight Initiative had seen similar teams inaugurated earlier in Calabar South, Calabar Municipality and Obanliku LGAs.

Njar was represented by Mrs. Nancy Enemso, Director, Women Department, Ministry of Women Affairs in the state.

She said they had earlier sensitised the people on the benefits and consequences of not reporting GBV cases, after carrying out a needs assessment.

“They had spoken to us about child labour which you will see mostly with children hawking to support the family, battering, assault and other kinds of violence against persons.

“Today we have involved traditional and religious leaders, we expect them to use the knowledge gathered in this dialogue to deal and report cases because not doing so is a crime against the state,” she said.

Mr. Kebe Ikpi, State Coordinator, Child Protection Network, (CPN), said reporting cases of violence was not a witch-hunt but an act to sanitise the society.

Ikpi warned the team against offering medical or legal services but to identify, document and refer cases, they could offer first aid if they were trained.

“Report all perpetrators you identify irrespective of their status and relationship with you and maintain utmost confidentiality in your relationship with survivors.

“Not all cases can be handled by traditional rulers or even police; cases like rape is a crime against the state and can only be handled by the state not traditional rulers or police,” he said.

Also speaking, SP. Philomena Modor, Officer in Charge of Gender Unit, State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), advised the team members to protect themselves as they went about their duties.

“Whenever you are called for a case, do your findings first, don’t just run to the spot, it may be a ploy by some people who don’t like what you are doing to attack you,” she said.

Modor said they could also report to the police through a call, adding that they did not have to be at the scene all the time.

She said that this was because some perpetrators of violence may not like what they were doing. (NAN)