Uchenna Johnson
Awka
The kind of response the society gives to any distressed Gender-Based Violence, GBV survivors, will determine whether they will heal or hurt the more.
This is according to the Executive Director of the Social and Integral Development Centre (SIDEC), Ugochi Ehiahuruike, who spoke during a one-day sensitization programme at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, targeted at empowering students to say no to abuse.
The programme with the theme, “Say No to Gender-Based Violence,” was organized by SIDEC in collaboration with Onwa Students Welfare Initiative.
Addressing students during the event, Ehiahuruike insisted that participants, mainly students, are at the heart of the campaign to end gender-based violence in the institution.
She maintained that supporting survivors begins with respect, silence, and listening, emphasizing that many of them take their greatest risk when they choose to confide in someone.
“This is because the response they receive can either begin their healing or deepen their hurt.
“This training is to equip students with basic but life-saving knowledge on how to respond when someone discloses an experience of gender-based violence (GBV),” she acknowledged.
She described GBV as any harmful act done against a person’s will simply because of their gender, as well as acts that inflict physical, sexual, or emotional harm, including threats, coercion, and deprivation of freedom.
According to her, every action taken when supporting a survivor must be rooted in respect for their choices, dignity, wishes, and safety.
Survivors, she stressed, have the absolute right to choose whom they tell their story. “Therefore, confidentiality is non-negotiable.
“No one has the right to share a survivor’s story without consent,” she said, adding that equal, fair treatment is essential to ensuring survivors are not retraumatized.
Ehiahuruike further highlighted the importance of the survivor-centered approach, which prioritizes what the survivor wants, not assumptions or personal opinions.
Even where formal GBV structures or referral pathways are absent, she said, communities still have local services that can provide meaningful support.
Ehiahuruike urged participants to always give a listening ear to survivors, and to simply offer information on available services and allow the survivor to decide.
She also cautioned against giving advice or sharing personal opinions.
“The decision must always be theirs,” she added.
“When survivors ask, help them make their own decisions.”
Ending conversations compassionately, avoiding questions about the incident, and never reaching out directly afterward were highlighted as key ethical steps.
In his welcome address, Comrade Excel Solomon, President of the Onwa Student Welfare Initiative, described the gathering as a movement for healing and empowerment.
“This is a space where we educate, heal, support, and empower. I sincerely thank our partners, our speakers, volunteers, and every individual present.
“Your presence today is a seed of hope, and I’m confident this gathering will spark real change. We stand united in one voice to confront an evil that has crippled lives silently for too long.
“Gender-based violence is not just a women’s issue, but a human issue. And it is our duty, as conscious students, to speak up, to act, and to protect the light of those around us.
“GBV is not just a women’s issue, it’s a human issue,” he said. “We stand united to confront an evil that has crippled too many lives. Let us listen. Let us learn. Let us act.”
Professor Uche Nwogwugwu, the Director of the Institute of Social Policy at UNIZIK, challenged young people to uphold dignity in their personal lives.
He warned against cohabitation among students, saying it exposes them to experiences they are not yet mentally or emotionally prepared for.
Also speaking, a representative of the Anambra State Ministry of Women Affairs called for stronger participation of students in combating GBV, noting that many incidents occur within university environments and often go unreported because of fear and silence.
“The government cannot fight this alone,” she said. “It is time to break the silence and encourage survivors to speak out. Collective action is the only way forward.”
The event reinforced a clear and urgent message: ending gender-based violence requires informed, compassionate individuals who know how to respond when it matters most.
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