The WARIF Educational School Program Get Support From The Nigerian Police Force, Office of the Public Defender And Others

Women At Risk International Foundation (WARIF) has officially announced the WARIF Educational School Program (WESP).

The WARIF Educational School Program (WESP) is a preventive initiative thatwas implemented by the Women At Risk International Foundation (WARIF), in May 2017. 

The first phase of the initiative set out to establish the prevalence of sexual assault and rape cases among secondary school children in Lagos State, with the approval of the Ministry of Education, through a baseline survey administered.

 Over 1000 questionnaires were distributed anonymously to school children between the ages of 13 -16 in 10 selected government secondary schools. The findings obtained were used to design and implement an intervention strategy (Phase 2, WESP Initiative) consisting of a specifically designed curriculum introduced to the children,parents, and teachers, to educate, create awareness and reduce the incidence ofgender-based violence in these communities. 

The findings from the first phase of the baseline survey is now available.

The foundation hosted stakeholders and members of the press at theWARIF Centre, onFriday June 23, 2017. In attendance were representatives from The Nigerian Police Force, the Office of the Public Defender, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, and members of some of the ministries and non-governmental organizations.

In her opening speech, Founder of WARIF Dr. Kemi Dasilva Ibru stated that through the WESP initiative, accurate data has been obtained on the prevalence of cases of sexual assault and rape in school children as well as identifying their patterns of behavior. This relevant data can be used in implementing important intervention strategies to assist in addressing gender-based violence.

According to Dr. DaSilva -Ibru, a few of the key findings from the 10 selected secondary schools from the school district IV, enrolled in the survey revealed that

· 1 in 4 adolescents knows at least 1 survivor of rape
· 1 in 3 adolescents identified the abuser as the father
· 1 in every 8 girls are willing to report a case of rape or sexual assault

The survey further revealed that 86% of the respondent, both male and female, believe that sex education can help reduce the incidence of rape and sexual assaults and 52% of boys noted that the types of films they watched (pornographic/sexualized images) were contributing factors to why boys may engage in rape.

In response to the growing need for the immediate attendance of victims at police stations, the Coordinator, Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, (DSVRT) Mrs. Lola Vivour- Adeniyi stated that the DSVRT in active collaboration with the Nigerian Police Force have presently sensitized family support units across the state. 

Equipped with well-trained officers and practitioners, the family support units are geared towards ensuring that victims are given a fair hearing and offered strict confidentiality when sharing their grievances.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Bolaji Salam heartily commended the activities of WARIF and applauded the WESP initiative adding that the Nigerian Police was committed to ensuring that victims are not only given adequate attention at the family units but convicted offenders are brought to book.

On the issue of family disputes where family members prevent the law from taking its course by pressuring the victim to withdraw the case or silencing the victim especially with the under aged or disabled, the Director of the Office of the Public defender Mrs Bukola Salami explained that the department was in the process of working towards ensuring that the state considers as a criminal offence, anyone who tries to withdraw such cases.

Expressing immense gratitude to the stakeholders present, Dr. Kemi DaSilva-Ibru stated that the WESP initiative was on-going; and the foundation would like to expand the program and collaborate with the government and other non-government organizations in making it available to all school children across the nation.

About WARIF
Women At Risk International Foundation (WARIF) is a Non-Governmental Organization that was incorporated in 2016 by Dr. Kemi Da-Silva Ibru MD; MPH in response to the high incidence of sexual assault, rape and human trafficking occurring among young girls and women across Nigeria.