WARIF launches sexual referral Centre in Lagos

Women and Risk International Foundation (WARIF) in active collaboration with Washington DC Rape Crisis Centre, USA, has officially opened its ultra-modern crisis flagship centre in Lagos.

Addressing journalists at a press conference recently, the founder and visionary of WARIF, Dr. Kemi DaSilva-Ibru said, being a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist with decades of experience had exposed her to the devastating effects of sexual violence, especially among women and young girls whom she refers to as ‘survivors’ and not ‘victims’.

DaSilva-Ibru said, there was a high incidence of sexual violence against women with only a few well equipped centres to effectively offer survivors the physical and psychological  attention needed, especially within the first 72 hours  as well as their long term social support.

“The youngest child treated is about 2 years of age and I have a young mother who is just over 11 years of age, both survivors of sexual abuse by those close to them. In spite of inadequate data, the figures are staggering.

“This is why WARIF was set up; to address this high incidence of this concern with the development and implementation of intervention and preventive initiatives; the first of which is WARIF Centre. These services will add to the existing number of sexual assault referral centres already existing which are doing a thorough and commendable job in assisting these survivors in getting back on their feet.”

According to her, WARIF is more than a sexual assault centre, it is a safe haven where social welfare needs of survivors are also met.

She said her NGO will be collaborating with several government and non-governmental organisations to accomplish short term and long term goals of ending gender based violence.

Also, the Executive Director of Washington DC Rape Crisis centre, Indira Henard, highlighted the importance of collaboration amongst the health practitioners, non-governmental organisations and government agencies in not only providing centres for survivors but also combating the surge in rape statistics and creating the needed awareness to rescue survivors from the circle of silent prevalence in the African society.

According to Henard, “the work of a care-giver in a rape crisis centre is not simply hard work. It can be best defined as heart work. It is a call to service; a call to fight a seemingly invisible enemy that pushes survivors to suffer in silence because of the stigma of sexual violence. We must collaborate with every sector of the society including the men who are sometimes survivors of sexual violence to change the present narrative of rape and sexual violence in our society.”