Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs & Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Lola Akande has reminded all residents in the State that domestic violence remains a crime in Lagos since the Law providing protection against domestic violence and connected purposes is still in force, as such all violators would be prosecuted accordingly.
Mrs. Akande disclosed this at a campaign rally organized by the Ministry, in collaboration with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), as part of this Year’s activities to mark “16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence” Campaign; an annual global event which holds from 25th November, (the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to 10th December, (Human Rights Day).
She stated that the Law aims at protecting people against domestic violence and acts of abuses in homes, regardless of sex, age or marital status, stressing that “under the law a woman, man, child or domestic worker can apply for protection and it does not matter whether the perpetrator and the victim are legally married.”
“The law is not to dissolve a marriage as it is not a law of divorce but rather seeks to remove the perpetrator from the venue pending the time the abuse is corrected”, the Commissioner added.
The event will be concluded with a symposium on Tuesday, 13th of December, 2016 with participants drawn from leaders of religious sects, markets, students’ union, local communities and public servants from selected Ministries, Departments, Agencies and Local Governments/Local Council Development Areas across the State.