Her Royal Highness, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and wife to the Heir apparent of the British throne, has become the first patron of Mirabel centre, the first Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Nigeria.
For several years, the Duchess, who is a member of the British Royal Family has highlighted the work sexual assault and domestic abuse charities in the UK and the international community at large, supporting survivors and aiming to break the taboo around the subject.
The Duchess made the announcement on the Twitter page she shares with her husband, Prince of Wales.
“It is a trailblazing organization, supporting survivors of rape and sexual assault as they seek healing and justice” she said and she was “delighted to become a patron of the Mirabel Center in Lagos”.
The Mirabel centre was founded in 2013 to provide support for survivors and victims of domestic abuse and sexual assault, providing medical and emotional support to those in need. The centre has helped more than 6,450 survivors.
The Duchess said that the “vital work means that women need no longer suffer in silence”, CNN reports, as she was “deeply grateful to all Mirabel’s staff and volunteers”.
In a statement, the founder of Mirabel centre said, “It is an honour to welcome HRH The Duchess of Cornwall as our first Patron. We are pleased that the Duchess has agreed to be our patron”
Princess Camilla has also used her voice to help victims of domestic violence during the early months of the lockdown pandemic in 2020, when she offered support for victims who had nowhere to go and were forced to stay at home.
The Duchess has been a long standing supporter of women who have suffered from sexual and gender based violence, as it is a global problem and one of the most prevalent and devastating human rights violations.