Activists Rally Against Gender-based Violence as Survival Recounts Ordeal.

                      Mrs Betsy Obaseki.

                      Edo State First Lady.

By Newscurve.

As activists and the Edo State Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issues continues its "16 Days Activism Against Gender-based Violence",  a survivor of domestic violence, Mrs Louisa Eikhomun has  described her marriage with the ex husband as "hell on earth".

She said, she was battered, molested, abused, but  kept quiet because she  thought the marriage could be  salvaged adding that at a point she realized that keeping quiet could result to a tragedy of monumental proportion.

Speaking to journalists at the NUJ Press Centre in Benin City, the Edo State capital at a rally organized by the Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issue, titled "16 Days of Activism Against Gender- based  Violence", she said

 "My marriage was  hell on earth, I was battered, molested, abused. I first kept quiet, thinking that the marriage could be salvaged, but when it became obvious that I can't cope again, I went to my family, but there was no help, I went to my ex husband's  family, no help came.

 

"Then I have to cry out, and I am encouraging everybody going through domestic violence to speak out so that they can get help. I also plead with Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) to help those going through domestic violence. It is because I want to help others in the same problem that I have documented my experiences in a book," She said.

Earlier in her address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issues, Pastor  Mrs Dorcas Idehen said the  rally was to inform the public that  gender-based violence has become a pandemic that needs to be tackled pointing out that women are on daily basis raped, kidnapped and killed.

She condemned the violation and rapping of babies their fathers, when they have their wives at home and stressed the need for all hands to be on deck to free Edo State  from gender-based violence adding that molesting our female children must stop. 

"We are here to tell the public that  gender based violence has become a pandemic that needs to be tackled. Women are on daily basis raped, kidnapped and killed.

"Today,  babies are raped by their fathers even when they have their wives at home. Edo State must be free from gender based violence.We must stop molesting our women and female children."

Responding, the Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Edo State Council, Comrade Titus Akhigbe, said the union has always frowned at gender based violence, adding that it is a crime that should not be tolerated. He assured of the union's support in the fight against gender-based violence adding that people will be adequately informed on its danger and use the media to mobilise them to resist the menance.