 Violence against women is a global crisis. This year, the United Nations under the global theme orange the world and violence against women now is marking 16 days of activism against gender-based violence from 25th of November to the 10th of December. Violence against women often goes unreported, silenced by stigma, shame, fear of the perpetrators and fear of a justice system that does not work for women. The COVID-19 pandemic with all its isolation and distancing has reportedly enabled more violence against women in recent years. Joining us live is Dr. Tyre Thomas, president with those and often support society of Africa. You're welcome to PLOS TV. So violence against women is still very common even today. In spite of some of the efforts that some people, activists, organizations have put together, even governments. Why is it so? It's women. It's the way it is because a lot of women have not been able to come out to speak out and too few that speak out probably are not getting justice to get satisfaction. So that is why we are unable to eradicate violence. If women can't come out and speak out and say, this is the challenges, this is what I'm facing. For example, a woman that is raped in Nigeria, finding it difficult to come out and say, some gang people rape me even if she knows that she will not be able to see it. Once stigma, they look at the stigma. So they look at, will I be able to get justice? And really, the truth of the matter is justice are not really prevailing for few that are able to come out. There are a lot of pending issues on violence against women. This justice not prevailing for those who have come out. Why do you think it's responsible for that? Why is the judiciary failing women in this? Well, our system, you know how it is. Sometimes when someone go to the, a woman go to the police station to make a report about how she's been violated by a woman. The first thing is a lot of questions that have come up. Why do you go with him? You know, why did you go where he is? Or don't you, when you were, I mean, when you were with him, you notice any funny attitude. Why don't you shout? So these are the part of what really makes some ladies. If I could just come out and say something, instead I will get more stigma. It will just come in a caricature way. So government should have a strong law against people who perpetuate this violence against women. There are cases, a lot of cases. You've been working with women for some years now through your NGO that's widows and often support society of Africa. Now in doing all that you've been doing, what would you say is the most prevalent of these crimes against women today? Well, the case is about the widows mostly. It challenges most of them, just to have. So when they lost their response, the family of the man are always interesting in taking everything from the woman. Even when they notice that this man has children. There's one going on that we're trying to stop touching. Is it very close person of man? The husband to the man, I mean, the brother to the man, is insisting that he has to take charge because the children are young. And he feel that the man cannot manage the work of the, I mean, the woman cannot manage. Meanwhile, the woman is educated. This is a kind of housing. The woman is educated. She's, when trained, she's an educationist. So what give, what give, what give him the impression that the woman cannot step in to manage the resources? Why grooming the children? I mean, and this same brother influenced all other members of the family that must kick this woman out with her children. Okay, so women are going through all of this. During the pandemic, the lockdown, we learned that so many women girls were raped by their fathers. We learned that a lot of the first cases, you know, were reported because of violence against women. And now from your answer, it's clear that the judiciary is failing the women. They go to the police. They will be asked all sort of questions. And you didn't even ask that some will be asked, why did you dress the way you did? Exactly. And such questions. Now, since the women cannot get protection and justice from the necessary organizations that should be proffering, do you have any self-protection tips for women? Of course we have. We have a strong legal unit, two men right, that fight this out for women. All the women that were unjustly treated. We want this case come to us. And then move it to a legal unit to ensure that these women get justice. And they are getting justice. Because the only thing is that when you are this, and you have somebody to fight for you, you are likely to win a battle. But when you are in the battle field and you don't have a supportive hand to say no. You don't want to see that a woman right activist who is well in it, say no, this is not right. We have female lawyers who are fighting for this women. And most women make sure we speed it. We make sure that we get to the root of everything. So women have seen domestic violence. My mom, my younger sister died in my very present. This is a domestic violence. The young man was... I was a very young little boy. I went flat out in my auntie's place. Is that what inspired you in here? Yes, that's what really inspired me. And besides, when growing up, I've seen a lot of the widows passing through a lot. Passing through a lot. As a structural engineer, I've been to a site, an abandoned site where I was to send people where I got a contract to renovate, to build. And I was in a hurry to send them away because it's a contract I want to... But when I got in there and I discovered that that very day I was sending them away, I got to the terrace unit. I saw a woman crying uncontrollable. I was trying to pass fire. But I couldn't. I have to wait and pet her. She opened up and said, look, our house was demolished in a quarter. My husband, when my husband died, that's the house we built. Now, we moved to this uncompleted building, this estate, abandoned estate, to rest, to stay with my children, two girls, 13 and 16. Unfortunately, that night, those two girls were raped by their mother. Oh my God. And when they raped her, they raped the 16 years, they wanted to rape the small one, which is 13 years. It was bleeding. This one never knew man. Please come and rape me one more time. So, I mean, when she was saying that I was cold, and I saw... By the time I told her, I saw her need to get covered with clothes. I opened, I discovered that was 13 years old. So we have to rush them to the hospital, then find a way out, get them in a new accommodation and to ensure that life turned up well for them. So we took them to the nearby hospital, to the Pudoh hospital, my friend hospital in Asia. So we get them treated and to the glory of God, they are now doing well. Okay, you walk closely with the United Nations. This year, the global theme is Orange the World, End Violence Against Women Now. Tell us about some of the activities that have been marked for this year's celebration of the day to end violence against women. First of all, we will have lecture awareness for women, that they have their rights. They should be bold enough to come out to ensure that whatever violence that has been passed is stopped. They should be bold enough to speak out. That lecture is a public awareness. It's a kind of public awareness it's a kind of public awareness to the women. You can come out, nothing will happen. And we, as an again, we are behind you. If you cannot go and come to us, we'll take it up. There will be lectures. So tomorrow it's taking place where? It's taking place at Lighthouse Events Center in Zekiaja, that is Aghe Bostok, where we have a reading reading Christian Church of God, Dabana Covdivit. We are having it in that place, life. We have different ceremony, ceremony will come up. Then those who have really served humanity will be awarded to encourage them to fight. To join us to fight these violence. So we have to encourage them. Then there will be drama, there will be all kinds of activities. Women items too, we will sing it to them here. You know, many people don't know that and we have a women item. Women item. Yes, apart from national item we have a women item. That's interesting. Do you know how to sing it? The content of it. Well, that will not allow us, even if you know how to sing it. I wish you could sing that. That's the kind of anthem I like to say. Now, according to the UN, they are going to mark 16 days of activism. Is yours going to be for this long? Between 16th to 10th of December is yours going to be this long or just tomorrow? No, no, tomorrow is a grand ceremony. We are working with UN. Oh, good. We will follow them alongside. Okay. We will do it, campaign. We will go to campaign and create awareness that these files must stop right now. Indeed issues stop. Yeah. Indeed issues stop. Women have suffered a lot. It's time for the women to come together and say, no, we are not taking it anymore. Yes, we are not taking this thing. And I'm sure we are going to achieve it. Dr. Tyos, Tyos Thomas, President, widows and often support society of Africa is our guest today, taking a look at UN's call for the end of violence against women. It's, it happens every 25th of November to help women have justice and also end the violence against women. Thank you so much for your time. And wishing you the best for this year's celebration of this. We are expecting you. Yes, I'll be there. I will be there. I have a foundation that, you know, caters to women. So I'll be there definitely. That's interesting. We can do this thing together. Very good. Then we achieve present success. Definitely. Thank you so much for your time. Thank you. Hello, hope you enjoyed the news. Please do subscribe to our YouTube channel and don't forget to hit the notification button so you get notified about fresh news updates.