The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has signed a legislation transforming the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) into a full-blown agency. 

The DSVRT legislation provides for the establishment of the Sexual Offenders’ Register that would help the state to efficiently tackle the issues of violations in communities. 

 

The development coincided with the commemorative month dedicated to raising awareness on gender-based violence in the state. 

The governor and members of the state’s cabinet wore attires with purple shades to support the campaign against sexual violence. 

Sanwo-Olu also announced the appointment of Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi as the Executive Secretary (ES) of the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency. 

Vivour-Adeniyi was the coordinator of the response team before the legislation was signed into law. 

The governor wrote on his Instagram handle: “Today marks a significant day for women in our dear state, and for the men as well. In commemoration of the Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month, I signed the Law establishing the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency which also includes the Sex Offenders Register.

“Any form of sexual violence is strongly abhorred by us as a state, and as individuals. And it will not be tolerated nor accepted in any way, shape or form. Therefore, signing this law is a testament of what we stand for and stand against. 

“I, alongside members of the State Executive Council received the team of The Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), and I announced the appointment of Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi as the Executive Secretary (ES) of the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency.”

The legislation indicates that whoever molests a girl child would have his name put in the sex offender register.

“So, in future, if you want to employ such a person, you just type in the name and if you find such person’s name there, you just know that person was once a rapist. You dissociate yourself from him. It is a bill now; we are waiting for the governor to pass it to law. It is a worthy course; it is a job that must be done,” the Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs, Poverty Alleviation and Job Creation, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mojisolaoluwa Alli-Macaulay, stated this in her keynote address during the launch of International Family Foundation in Lagos recently.