The Lagos State Government has begun group sessions for perpetrators (abusers) of domestic and sexual abuse.
Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, Executive Secretary of the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, said in a statement on Thursday that the initiative was in keeping with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to delivering a holistic response to sexual and gender-based violence in the state.
“The worrisome increase in cases of domestic violence has informed the necessity to address the trend,” she stated.
“The support and healing group sessions for perpetrators of domestic violence will tackle the root causes of domestic violence. The programme will help identify and address the underlying factors contributing to perpetrators’ violent behaviour as results from the research show that these domestic violence cases stem from deep-seated issues such as unresolved trauma, anger management problems, substance abuse, or learned patterns of violence.”
According to her, if no psychiatric assistance was provided, the behavior may become a vicious cycle.
“Without psychological intervention, there is a risk that the perpetrators may perpetuate the cycle of violence in their relationships or pass it on to future generations,” Vivour-Adeniyi said.
“Hence through strategic intervention perpetrators can gain insight into these factors and develop healthier coping strategies and also break the cycle of violence that the support and healing group sessions can avail.”
She said that the planned intervention sessions will provide abusers with insights on alternate coping strategies, conflict resolution techniques, and healthy relationship dynamics.
