No fewer than 643 females have either been raped or sexually assaulted in Lagos in the last six months, the state’s Office of the Public Defender has revealed.
The office stated that more cases of rape and sexual assault had been re- corded more this year than in any other year.
It also added that over 700 cases of rape, sexual assault and defilement had been reported in the last one year.
Findings, however, showed that there were many cases of domestic vio- lence involving parents and guardians and their chil- dren.
Specifically, 233 rape and defilement cases were re- corded in six months while 410 cases of sexual assault and sexual abuse were also reported within the same period.
This is against the backdrop of the 2014 scenario in which 374 cases of sexual abuse and 131 cases of child defilement were reported.
It was also gathered that 508 cases were recorded under child’s custody and maintenance.
Speaking on the alarming rate of domestic violence in Lagos State, the Director, Public Defender, Mrs Omotola Rotimi, charged wards and parents on the need to do more to curtail cases like rape, sexual assault and other related offences.
“Though the Lagos State Government has not relented in efforts to curb evil acts in the society, additional efforts from Lagos dwellers will go a long way to help the situation,” she said.
