DOMESTIC VIOLENCE NOT FAMILY MATTER, IT'S A CRIME - CAIDOV BOSS, GBENGA SOLOKI

The Executive Director of the Centre Against Injustice and Domestic Violence, CAIDOV, Comrade Gbenga Soloki, has declared that domestic violence in Nigeria is no longer a family affair but a serious crime punishable under the law.


Speaking in Lagos on the rising cases of domestic abuse across the country, Soloki said Nigerians must stop seeing domestic violence as only physical beating. According to him, when people hear domestic violence they quickly think of a husband beating his wife, but domestic violence is deeper than that. He said seizing a wife's salary, collecting her ATM card by force, refusing to provide money for feeding, forcing her to have sex, constant insults, threats and isolation from family and friends are all domestic violence under the law.


Soloki explained that domestic violence is clearly defined under Section 46 of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, VAPP 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 are not only wives, but also husbands, children, househelps and anyone living in same household or former spouses.


He blamed the persistence of domestic violence on culture of silence, patriarchal mindset, economic dependence of victims and weak enforcement by security agencies. He lamented that in many police stations victims are still told to go and settle with their husbands, while families and religious leaders tell them to be patient and pray. According to him, this culture of silence is killing many women, as many people still believe a wife is a property because bride price was paid. He added that although VAPP Act is a good law, only about 34 states have domesticated it and many Gender Desks in police formations lack funding and trained personnel to handle cases.


On how to fight the menace, Soloki called on landlords, neighbours and religious leaders to stop looking away when they hear screams from neighbouring homes. He said fighting domestic violence is not only the job of CAIDOV or police but everybody's job, urging people to intervene or call emergency lines.

He also called for economic empowerment of women so they can have exit options, education of boys on respect for women, and proper funding of support centres like Mirabel Centre, CAIDOV and Ministry of Women Affairs.


Soloki said many victims suffer in silence because they don't know the remedies available to them under the law. He said a victim can go to court and get a Protection Order within 24 hours in Lagos which stops the abuser from coming near her, entering her house or contacting her, and violation of the order attracts two years imprisonment. He said domestic violence is a crime and offenders can be prosecuted, with assault carrying up to 3 years, grievous hurt 5 years, female genital mutilation 4 years and rape life imprisonment. He added that the court can also order the abuser to pay medical bills, counselling costs and compensation, and that under Lagos law a woman cannot be chased out of her matrimonial home even if the house is in husband's name once Protection Order is granted. He said victims can seek shelter and free legal support at CAIDOV, Lagos DSVA, Mirabel Centre, FIDA and Legal Aid Council.


Advising survivors, Soloki said no one should die in silence, stressing that help exists. He said domestic violence is not love and a man who loves a woman will not break her bones. He urged all states to fully domesticate the VAPP Act and courts to fast-track domestic violence cases, adding that CAIDOV will continue to fight injustice and provide support for survivors.