Despite increasing incidents of rape and sexual assault in Osun State, the government has not put its Sexual Assault Referral Center (SARC) into use, according to findings by The Point. Situated within the State Specialist Hospital, Asubiaro, Osogbo, the SARC has remained locked since its commissioning in November 2022 by former First Lady Kafayat Oyetola.
The center was established to provide crucial medical, social, legal, and safety services for survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV). However, it has been abandoned, leaving victims struggling to access adequate care and support. The facility lacks sufficient medical personnel, operational vehicles, communication gadgets, and other necessary utilities.
The current administration, including the wives of Governor Ademola Adeleke, has promised to revitalize the SARC. During advocacy visits from the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Titilola and Ngozi Adeleke pledged to address the issue. Despite these promises, no concrete actions have been taken.
Lola Wey, a member of WARDC, criticized the abandonment, highlighting that many SGBV litigations fail due to inadequate medical examinations and psychosocial support for survivors. "The state government can still do something by furnishing the SARC with needed staff and equipment so that it could be running well," she said.
Bukola Ejiade, Executive Director of Heritage Life Support Initiative, urged the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders to make the center functional, stressing its importance amid rising rape cases in Osun State. Eni Ayeni, Executive Director of CAI4SR, echoed this call, noting that the center's operation is crucial for delivering justice and resolving SGBV cases under the VAPP and ACJ laws.
Permanent Secretary of the Hospital Management Board, Abayomi Oni, cited a lack of personnel as the primary issue. He mentioned that the personnel deficits have been included in the Osun 2024 budget, and the center will be operational once approvals for recruitment are granted.
