There is a dynamic group, made up of different partners that gives help to victims of sexual abuse, especially women and children. Actually, I am told that it is wrong to call a person who has experienced abuse, a “survivor”
The Rivers State Observatory Steering Committee was launched in 2015. The “OBSTEC” was launched by the Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme, as part of efforts towards reducing violence against women and girls. NSRP launched the Observatory platform for Plateau and Rivers states.
Individuals can reach out to this group via telephone or by visiting them with complaints of abuse. They also offer medical support, for instance, to people who have been raped.
Medecins Sans Frontier also known as Doctors Without Borders, happens to be one of the partners that make up this group – so that covers medical treatment of persons who have survived abuse. They also have the International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, as one of the member organisations.
So for counselling, medical support, legal support, etc, a person could approach this group and get help which will be rendered free of charge. What’s more, the OBSTEC protects the privacy of survivors, by handling their cases confidentially and pushing forward only with the consent of the survivor.
Here are some of their help lines: 08122536756, 08173412597, 08122537721, 07054571034, 07032853975.
There are over twenty organisations that make up the OBSTEC, including the National Human Rights Commission, the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Department of State Services, Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria, Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development, Peace Club, etc.
