The Gombe State Government has launched a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) at the Gombe State Specialist Hospital to provide comprehensive support for survivors of sexual violence in the state.

The centre, established with support from UNICEF, was commissioned on Friday by the Deputy Governor of Gombe State, alongside the Chief of UNICEF’s Bauchi Field Office.

Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Sambo Dawa, said the centre is designed to provide medical care, psychological support and legal assistance to victims of sexual assault.

He disclosed that 170 cases of sexual violence were reported in the state last year, most of them from rural communities, adding that incidents of sexual abuse were on the increase.

Dr. Dawa explained that the centre is equipped with a reception area, treatment room, counselling unit, police desk and legal desk, making it a one-stop facility for survivors seeking help.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Habu Dahiru, who represented the Deputy Governor, Manasseh Jatau, assured that the state government would also focus on the rehabilitation of survivors after treatment.

According to him, the centre was deliberately located in a secluded area of the hospital to guarantee the privacy of victims, while trained counsellors are available to provide guidance and support.

The Chairman of the Gombe State House of Assembly Committee on Health, Musa Manaja, attributed the persistence of sexual violence partly to the failure of the judiciary to impose stringent penalties on offenders, urging judges to fully apply existing laws to serve as a deterrent.

The Emir of Gombe, Abubakar Shehu Abubakar, represented by the Wakilin Birnin Gombe, Dalhatu Babayo, commended the establishment of the centre, noting that traditional rulers were deeply concerned about the growing menace. He urged victims to speak out to obtain justice.

In her remarks, the Chief of UNICEF’s Bauchi Field Office, which covers Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba and Plateau states, Nuzhat Rafique, called on stakeholders to intensify community sensitisation on reporting sexual violence and supporting survivors.

She lamented that children were increasingly becoming victims of sexual assault and appealed to lawyers and law enforcement agencies to provide adequate support to survivors, warning that failure to act decisively would lead to a recurrence of such crimes. (The Guardian)