LAGOS UNVEILS USSD, SMS SHORT CODE FOR REPORTING SEXUAL ABUSE, VIOLENCE

IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – Alternate Chairman of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), Omotilewa Ibirogba, in Monday said the State had, as at Friday last week, recorded 950 reported cases of domestic, sexual violence, and child abuse.

The figure, she said, represented over a hundred percent increase from a total of 452 similar reported cases in the whole of last year. She added that of the reported cases, 10 offenders had been adequately registered and convicted.

Ibirogba was speaking in Alausa during the unveiling of 6820 USSD and SMS short code, launched by the the State government in a bid to be ensure that every resident of Lagos is able to report and receive prompt response to incidents of rape, domestic violence and child abuse.

According to her: “The team obtained approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission to have a short code for reporting incidences of sexual abuse, child abuse and domestic violence in the State. The technology solution was developed by NOK 360 Global Limited, a value added company licensed by NCC to provide mobile content and billing services using SMS, USSD and IVR bearers.

“Simply by dialling *6820# or sending an SMS to 6820 with a keyword, e.g, child abuse, users will be fed information on steps to take for the responsible active case. A report would also be logged and forwarded to the appropriate law enforcement, Agency or Ministry.”

She stressed that upon sending an SMS to the short code or dialling *6820#, an interactive menu browser opens to get the relevant information from such users such as name, location, specific case or complaint- which would in turn ensure that the whole response team is automatically activated.

Ibirogba added the two network providers namely; Airtel and MTN, had partnered with the initiative at no cost. She said with over 10 keywords that had been translated to Yoruba, English, Pidgin, Igbo and Hausa, the technology- which is home-grown- encourages residents of the Lagos with access to a mobile phone, to make use of the device.

When asked if there were provisions made for physically challenged people, e.g, the vulisually impaired, the amputated, etc; she stressed that such category of people would be carried along as people would be trained to cater for them. Also, she said provision would be made for assistive devices to help carry them along.

For the illiterate class who may not be able to use the facility, she said in such instances, there would be reliance on eye witness accounts and help from good citizens to provide relevant information.

“The use of technology in this manner to combat sexual and gender-based violence, is the first of its kind in Nigeria. We are therefore most optimistic of the great results that the short code would yield in our fight against sexual and gender-based violence,” Ibirogba said.