The Management of Mirabel Centre, in collaboration with the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), has hosted the British Deputy High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr. Ben Llewelyn-Jones, who represented Camilla, the Royal Duchess of Cornwall, in celebration of her acceptance of patronage for Mirabel Centre, Nigeria’s First Sexual Assault Referral Centre.
In her welcome address, the Chairman of the Advisory Board of Mirabel Centre, Prof. Ayo Atsenuwa, stated the Centre had been in existence for the past eight years, providing a safe haven for sexual assault and gender violence victims in the country.
She informed that Mirabel started out as a collaboration with Partnership for Justice, another human rights organisation, adding that the Centre’s mandate is to provide medical treatment to the victims of sexual assault and assist them in getting justice.
Prof. Atsenuwa averred that the Centre was established in view of the need to provide specialised care for sexual assault victims, stressing that it has also necessitated the partnership with LASUTH for eight years running.
Speaking on behalf of the Royal Duchess Camilia, the British Depty High Commissioner expressed her delight to sponsor and support Mirabel Centre in combating domestic abuse and sexual assault.
“The Royal Duchess expressly stated that she was delighted to become Patron of the Mirabel Centre in Lagos, Nigeria. It is truly a trailblazing organisation supporting survivors of rape and sexual assault as they seek healing and justice”, he said.
Prof. Adetokunbo O. Fabamwo, the Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, mentioned that LASUTH’s association with Mirabel Centre is long standing and acknowledged that the centre had been rendering services to the underprivileged, the oppressed and the assaulted in society.
“LASUTH has been providing medical support for Mirabel Centre and the hospital is delighted with its proposed infrastructural expansion”, he stated,
The Medical Director observed that gender and sexual violence are issues that gynaecologists in Nigeria address, in partnership with organisations like Mirabel Centre, to provide a safety net for victims and secure justice for them.
On her part, the Mirabel Goodwill Ambassador, Queen Uba, stated that the Centre provides medical services to victims of sexual violence and works hand-in-hand with the Police for the provision of post-traumatic treatments.
The Founder of Mirabel Centre, Mrs. Itoro Eze-Anaba, said the British High Commission has been supporting the Centre since 2013, adding that the organisation has over the years attended to more than 6000 clients.
She expressed her gratitude to the High Commission and the Lagos State Government for all their support and assistance to the Centre.
