Experts handling gender-based violence (GBV) in Nigeria have charged authorities to stop paying lip service to the crime and begin to match words with punitive actions to deter perpetrators.

Dr Offiong Enang, the executive director of Gender And Development Action, (GADA) on Thursday in Calabar during a three-day event disclosed that feeling sympathetic towards GBV survivors was not enough.

The three-day training of Gender desk officers in Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) in Cross River was organised by the Coalition for the Promotion of Gender Justice, CPGJ.

Enang said: “Government agencies, Civil Society Organisations and every Nigerian must make noise with facts and vote resources for this fight; we need to stop behaving as if GBV is for other people when it is everywhere around us.

“If perpetrators see that people are doing nothing other than just feeling sympathetic, they will continue but when people respond by carrying out some activities, then the perpetrators would be afraid.”

Speaking further, she said Nigeria should tell itself the truth as it concerns GBV even as she demanded that real data of GBV be put out in the public domain for everyone to see that the malaise was high in the nation.

On her part, Mrs Victoria Emah-Emah, Executive Director, Neighborhood Carewell Foundation, said for the GBV fight to be effective, proper case management including referrals is imperative.

She urged different groups to carry out proper referrals of cases.

She said: “Different persons and groups have different competencies, no one can provide all the services required by a survivor.

“There is need for partnership to ensure effective care of a survivor from psychosocial to medical, legal, protective and all other support required.”