60% Domestic, Sexual Violence survivors seek assistance at community Pharmacies –Report

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A bi-annual analysis of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team from January to June 2021 revealed that at least 60 per cent of survivors of domestic violence sought assistance at community pharmacies. 

The analysis also showed that out of this percentage, 50 per cent of the survivors declined to visit the police stations or the hospital for medical attention.

The statistics, according to the Executive Secretary of the DSVRT, Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi told reporters was obtained from the survivors who reported to the Response Team. 

Vivour-Adeniyi added that some survivors disclosed that they were not aware of the designated police stations or the health facilities where they could access help.

“They were also more comfortable accessing support at their community pharmacies,” she noted.

She, however, said to ensure survivors have easy access to services, the DSVRT entered into a partnership with the Lagos state branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria to introduce and implement the Speak to INU (I Need U) code scheme to assist victims of domestic and sexual violence.

“The Speak to INU code-word scheme is to enable victims of domestic abuse to access immediate help from the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, the police, the health facilities or other support services, from the safety of their local pharmacy.

“We believe that the pharmacy environment lends itself well to this scheme. Indeed, the pharmacy can be a safe space for survivors of domestic violence. To this end, survivors of domestic and sexual violence would be able to make use of the code in accessing help and other relevant support. This would be provided for by the pharmacist, and where necessary and desired, onward referrals would be made to DSVRT,” she said.

Also, speaking at the training organised by the DSVRT for the licensed community pharmacists on reporting cases of sexual and gender-based violence, the Chairman of the PSN, Lagos state branch, Gbolagade Iyiola, said community pharmacy is the first point of call for most survivors of domestic and sexual violence, especially during COVID-19.

“All over the world, it’s been found out that community pharmacy is the first point of call for people needing health services.

“We’re looking at developing tools for the community pharmacists to use for people who report at their pharmacies and refer them to government facilities and from there, the DSVRT will follow up for necessary action,” he said.

A Director at the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Omotola Rotimi also noted that pharmacists need to know what the law says about domestic and sexual violence and the punishments for each offence.

“Most people don’t know what the law says and most of the offenders don’t know there are punishments attached to the offences committed.

“There is a need to sensitise the pharmacists so that when survivors come to them to get medication, they will know that they have the responsibility to report that case. 

“Most of the time when people are violated, they go to the pharmacists for treatment rather than going to the hospital and they don’t report these cases. 

“So, the pharmacist must know the background of the case and what the law says and the punishment for each offense or violation,” Mrs. Rotimi said.

Explaining further, Mrs. Vivour-Adeniyi said it is expedient to enter into a partnership with PSN in Lagos to launch the code box INU where the pharmacy presents itself as the safe space in the community.

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“This will enable survivors to use the INU code or they tick on the prescription sheet that they will like to speak to a pharmacist and then the whole referral pathway is activated for the survivors. So, asides from receiving medical attention, the survivors can access help.

“During COVID-19, most of our operations were done online so people call to report a case. But in the absence of a police report, medical examination by the doctor, then there’s no evidence to corroborate what the survivors’ said and we know they were going to the pharmacists because we ask them where they go to and most times they say they go to a pharmacy but they tell the pharmacy they hit their head.

“It became very clear that they were presenting at the pharmacy. So we need to leverage on what is existing in the community and make the pharmacy a safe place for a survivor to share and be informed on support services available,” she said.