Chinwendu Esther

How precious your loyal love is, O Jehovah! In the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge!

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

Great.

[PYWV @GirlsWomenPower]

📢 Abstract Submission for the African Workshop on HIV & Women 2024 is open!

You are invited to share your findings on Women Living with HIV in Africa.

⏰ Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday, 17 Nov 2023

Learn more 👇
https://t.co/DCHFIYTSTu

@Academic_MedEdu
#HIVWOMENAFRICA

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

You���re invited. Come prepared with your gender lenses on. Let’s have this dialogue on Tuesday October 31, 2021 @ 2pm prompt. Here’s a link for your registration and participation.

https://t.co/3L2opgzyep

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

No country will attain total economic development, and stability amidst rising security challenges. Who wants to invest in a country plagued by crime and insecurity?

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

Register to contribute your idea to restoring peace and security in the southeast

https://t.co/HyBpRMI3pu

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

Gender-biased policing in domestic and sexual violence cases perpetuate the cycle of violence, harm individuals, destabilize communities and undermines the legitimacy of the criminal justice system. Also put lives of women and girls at risk.

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

Police officers who commit sexual offences should not be allowed to remain in the force. When this happens, it de legitimize the authority of the police force and shatter community trust in security agents @PoliceNG

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

When police officers discredit claims of sexual violence, shame or dismiss victims without investigation, it undermines efforts to end violence and embolden abusers

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

Domestic and sexual violence constitutes the largest category of reports received by the frontline responders

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

Why is it important to address gender-biased policing?

Almost every woman in Nigeria have experienced a form of gender based violence or another

More women than men have experienced rape in their lifetime

More than a million women survive domestic violence every year

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

@PoliceNG Police misconduct especially as it relates to GBV requires consistent tracking and punishing of offenders this would contribute to addressing the problem of gender-biased policing in Nigeria.

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

However, you will agree with me that there are still some deep seated patterns of bias that exists within the police system especially when women and girls seek police assistance in cases of GBV

@Princemoye1 @chekwube_henry @PoliceNG

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

There is no doubt that many police officers across the country go about their duties with professionalism....this is commendable

@chekwube_henry @PoliceNG

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

Failing to hold police officers accountable when they have committed domestic violence or leverages their position to sexually harass or assault women and girls amounts to gender biased policing.

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

and get to be asked questions like; but no be you carry your two legs go the guy house? Wetin you wear go sef? Wetin you been expect to happen as you go man house. Him force you? Infact sometimes one may hear a comment like.. you see why l no de like handle all these women cases.

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

So when a police officer interrogates a victim of rape rather than interview her, it is called gender-biased policing. So let’s say Amaka reported being raped by her course mate who invited her over,

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

Other factors such as sexual orientations, mode of dressing, or even emotional state.

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

Wrongly classifying cases of domestic abuse or sexual violence happens often and very quickly sometimes even before any investigation, cases are dismissed as family issues. It is interesting to note that this misclassification happens as a result of victim’s gender and ....

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

Are there more examples of gender biased policing you have experienced? Please share..

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

She said l have gone to this particular police station two times. They told me it is a family matter. This is the reality of many more victims of domestic abuse out there. This is a clear example of gender biased policing

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

So have you seen a clear case of domestic violence where the victim reported to the police and the feedback from the police is that the issue is a family matter and should be resolved as such? This is wrong classification of domestic violence case and it gender-biased policing

[Chinwendu Esther @Laishah89]

She feels insecure and threatened. All she wants is support to return to her home county. She also reported that her husband had collected her passport from her. I was happy to quickly refer her to the nearest police division. Yet her response was shocking to me...