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By Paul Williams
Non-governmental organisation, OLEGH Centre for Community Development, says recovery for victims of gender-based violence must go beyond physical healing to include deep emotional support.
Executive Director of the Centre, Henry Eferegbo, said this at a one-day Psychological and Emotional Healing Session for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence in Port Harcourt.
Eferegbo said survivors often carry emotional scars that last a lifetime, adding that, “Sometimes when these victims come out emphasis has been to get justice for them and to ensure that they recover medically.
“That has been our modus operandi over the years. But I thought that there are other things we haven’t done, emotional healing.
“Even though you have gain medical attention, we also send the accused to prison, assumably but such victims still live in trauma. That trauma, you may not know how painful it is.
“So we felt that, let’s bring in few victims and interact with them, then a psychologist and a trauma healer to actually assist them in keeping the feelings behind them,” he said.
Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and rehabilitation Prof. Justina Jumbo, who was represented by Deputy Director of the ministry, Omubo Harry, said the ministry had built support networks through its policies but expressed concern that many complaints reach them too late.
She observed; “Victims who experience abuse, they struggle with trust, attachment and emotional stability which can hinder their future relationships.
“As we reflect on this reality we must recognize that the journey to healing is multifaceted. It requires not only everyday support but also comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes.
“Our mission encompasses a wide range of services including societal protection, mental health support and rehabilitation programmes for victims.
“One of our primary responsibilities is to ensure that victims have access to immediate support services, which includes safe centres medical care and psychological counseling.
In her keynote address, ‘Police Responsibilities in Protection Survivors of SGBV,’ the Officer in Charge OC Gender, of the Rivers State Police Command, CSP Rachel Opadola, urged organisations and individuals handling such cases to treat survivors with utmost sensitivity.
She said; “The abuse of children has continued unabated. The community ostracize, reject and abandon a children on the streets where they face hardship fending for themselves.
“A survivor who comes to the police station to report the case of being violated needs proper support to gain immediate emotional stability and assurances that the suspect will be apprehended, investigated and prosecuted.
“The survivor need some confidence that he or she will get justice and the perpetrators brought to justice and be assured that their cases would be kept confidential”.
The session brought together participants from the Ministry of Women Affairs, the National Human Rights Commission, NAWOJ, as well as some survivors of gender based violence who shared their experiences.
