By Halimah Olamide
Programme Director of Dataphyte, Adenike Aloba has suggested that communication as a tool may be effective in protecting women and children against different forms of violence.
She made the assertion at the day 6 event of the Wole Soyinka Center for Investigative Journalism’s 16-day Activism Against Gender-Based Violence themed: “Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) through information communication”
According to Aloba, people need to understand body autonomy and stressed that a rapist whether physical or psychological starts off from the different kinds of conversations they have.
She also stated the need for people to watch the way and manner in which they speak to people regardless of gender.
“We need to tackle this not just from the point where the incident has happened but from the point of people understanding body autonomy
“Before a person becomes a rapist, whether psychological or physical, at different times, it starts out with conversations
“We need to start the conversation before we get to that point so that everybody knows that this is the way to act.
“Taking this broad approach may be a game-changer in terms of strategy to protect the future of women and children.
“We’re all using the same information, trying to spread the same message, and trying to reach the same target
The Executive Director of Media Career Development Network, Mr. Lekan Otufodunrin, harped on empowering survivors, stating that they need to be equipped with the appropriate information to report such cases.
“It is important to pay attention to this very important issue about gender-based violence against women and children and this is not just something that we’ll report as they happen so the focus is how do we empower survivors.
“We need to stress the importance of why this is happening and how to avoid it and we need to share as much information, as we need to let them know the diversity of what is happening across.
“They need to know who to report to when they become victims, what steps they need to take at any point in time
“It is important for them to be thoroughly educated and empowered with the necessary information.” He said.
Veteran journalist, Bimbo Oloyode, highlighted that perpetrators of the act are going scott-free with their actions and their prey becomes more vulnerable due to lack of action and proper communication.
“The perpetrators are still getting away with their terrible actions and their prey becomes more and more vulnerable because there is no action and the communication targets are well fragmented
“We all lose in this situation because the victims and the survivors are embedded within all the target groups without strategic collaboration.
“The majority of perpetrators will not be brought to the book and that is a frightening thought.”
The 16-Day Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an international moment to call for an end to violence against women and girls. It runs from 25th November (the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) until 10th December, Human Rights Day.