The Executive Director of the Centre Against Injustice and Domestic Violence (CAIDOV), Comrade Gbenga Soloki, has declared that domestic violence is no longer a family matter but a serious crime punishable under the law.
Speaking in Lagos on the rising cases of domestic abuse across the country, Soloki urged Nigerians to stop viewing domestic violence solely as physical assault.
According to him, domestic violence goes beyond a husband beating his wife, noting that seizing a wife’s salary, forcibly taking her ATM card, refusing to provide money for feeding, forcing her to have sex, constant insults, threats and isolating her from family and friends also constitute domestic violence under the law.
Soloki explained that domestic violence is defined under Section 46 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015, and the Lagos State Protection Against Domestic Violence Law of 2007 as any act of violence within the household, including physical, sexual, psychological and economic abuse.
He said victims were not limited to wives, but could also include husbands, children, househelps, people living in the same household and former spouses.
Soloki blamed the persistence of domestic violence on the culture of silence, patriarchal mindset, economic dependence of victims and weak enforcement by security agencies.
He lamented that victims were still being told at some police stations to return home and settle with their husbands, while families and religious leaders often advised them to be patient and pray.
According to him, the culture of silence was contributing to the deaths of many women, as some people still believe that a wife becomes her husband’s property because bride price was paid.
He added that although the VAPP Act was a good law, only about 34 states had domesticated it, while many Gender Desks in police formations lacked adequate funding and trained personnel to handle domestic violence cases.
On ways to tackle the menace, Soloki called on landlords, neighbours and religious leaders to stop looking away when they hear screams from neighbouring homes.
He said combating domestic violence was not the responsibility of CAIDOV or the police alone but a collective responsibility, urging members of the public to intervene where possible or contact emergency services.
He also called for the economic empowerment of women to enable victims to have options for leaving abusive relationships, as well as the education of boys on respect for women and adequate funding for support centres such as Mirabel Centre, CAIDOV and the Ministry of Women Affairs.
Soloki said many victims suffered in silence because they were unaware of the remedies available to them under the law.
He said victims could obtain a Protection Order from a court within 24 hours in Lagos, which could prevent an alleged abuser from approaching, entering the victim’s home or contacting her, adding that violation of the order attracts up to two years’ imprisonment.
He said domestic violence was a crime and offenders could be prosecuted, with assault attracting up to three years’ imprisonment, grievous hurt five years, female genital mutilation four years and rape life imprisonment.
He added that courts could order an abuser to pay medical bills, counselling costs and compensation.
According to him, under the Lagos law, a woman could not be forced out of her matrimonial home, even where the property was in her husband’s name, once a Protection Order had been granted.
He said victims could seek shelter and free legal support from CAIDOV, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), Mirabel Centre, the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and the Legal Aid Council.
Advising survivors, Soloki urged them not to suffer or die in silence, stressing that help was available.
“Domestic violence is not love and a man who loves a woman will not break her bones,” he said.
He called on all states to fully domesticate the VAPP Act and urged the courts to fast-track domestic violence cases.
Soloki assured that CAIDOV would continue to fight injustice and provide support for survivors.
