Members of the Kings Club project, an initiative of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency organized a debate on the topic: “Domestic and Sexual Violence; who is to blame – The Perpetrator or the Society?”
This is in commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism for the elimination of violence against women and girls.
Thursday’s debate which took place at the Oregun Junior and Senior High School, Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun had in attendance Counsellors, Teachers and male Students drawn from Education Districts II, IV, V and Lagos Mainland Primary school students, comprising a total of 125 students drawn from about 20 schools.
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The different debaters canvassed their positions and ultimately encouraged members of the public and State Government to ensure Domestic and Sexual Violence becomes a thing of the past.
The students from Mende Junior and Senior High School supported the motion that the perpetrator is to blame.
While, those in support of the society were from Immaculate Heart Junior and Senior High School.
At the end, Immaculate Senior High School won with a total of 337 points with each debater receiving a cash prize prize of Fifty Thousand Naira.
In second place was Immaculate Junior School with a total of 317 points with a reward of a cash price of Thirty Thousand Naira.
In third and fourth places were Mende Senior High School and Mende Junior School with 291 and 275 points respectively.
Among the panel of Judges and Special Guests were Child Protection activist, Taiwo Akinlami, the coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission in Lagos State, Lukas Koyejo, and the Executive Secretary of Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi.
They charged the boys to remain committed in school and use their gender to protect, promote and uphold gender equality.
The ultimate goal of the Kings Club is to create a sustainable structure in educational institutions that would help debunk socio-cultural misconceptions, promote positive masculinity and bring about behavioral and attuditional change in the minds of young boys in Lagos State which is hoped would ultimately prevent the occurrence of Sexual and Gender Based Violence.