Daud Olatunji
At least 21 per cent of Nigerian women aged between 15 and 49 have experienced physical or sexual violence, while more than half of survivors do not report the abuse or seek help, stakeholders have disclosed.
The alarming figures were revealed on Friday in Abuja during the launch of the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Media Corps, an initiative of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons in collaboration with the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.
The programme is supported by the European Union through its End Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Programme.
The stakeholders disclosed that 58 per cent of survivors do not seek help or report their experiences, raising concerns about the scale of unreported cases of sexual and gender-based violence in the country.
They said the figures highlighted the urgent need for stronger institutional responses, improved survivor support systems and responsible media coverage capable of encouraging victims to break their silence.
The Media Corps was launched during a two-day capacity-building workshop for journalists reporting sexual and gender-based violence, with reporters from the Federal Capital Territory and Kaduna State participating.
The initiative seeks to strengthen the capacity of journalists to report SGBV ethically and in a survivor-centred manner while promoting accountability and public awareness.
Speaking at the workshop, the Head of Press and Public Relations, NAPTIP, Vincent Adekoye, said the media had a critical responsibility in the fight against SGBV.
Adekoye warned that insensitive reporting could compound the trauma suffered by survivors, urging journalists to avoid victim blaming, sensationalism and breaches of privacy.
He said the media should use its influence to raise awareness, expose perpetrators and demand accountability from institutions responsible for protecting vulnerable persons.
“The media has a critical role to play in creating awareness, promoting accountability and ensuring that survivors are not subjected to further victimisation through insensitive reporting,” Adekoye said.
A presentation on the EU-supported ESGBV Programme was delivered by the Civil Society and Community Mobilisation Specialist at International IDEA, Wynyfred Achu-Egbuson.
Achu-Egbuson said the Media Corps was established to equip journalists with the skills required to report SGBV responsibly while supporting the implementation of laws and policies designed to protect survivors.
She said the programme would also strengthen institutions, improve coordination among stakeholders and support enforcement of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act across the country.
One of the facilitators, Toyin Adewale-Gabriel, said the 21 per cent prevalence rate demonstrated the magnitude of violence against women in Nigeria.
She said the fact that 58 per cent of survivors did not seek help or report their experiences made responsible journalism even more important.
According to her, ethical reporting can help rebuild public confidence in institutions and encourage survivors to seek assistance.
Adewale-Gabriel urged journalists to sustain coverage of SGBV issues, stressing that persistent reporting could help break the culture of silence surrounding violence against women.
Another facilitator, Dr Tim Aniebonam, challenged journalists to examine how gender stereotypes and media narratives influence public attitudes towards SGBV.
Aniebonam urged reporters to avoid reproducing stereotypes that could normalise violence or shift blame from perpetrators to survivors.
He also called on journalists to move beyond event-based reporting by following cases from the point of allegation through investigation, prosecution and, where applicable, conviction.
He said sustained reporting would help strengthen accountability and prevent SGBV cases from disappearing from public attention after the initial media coverage.
Dr Lauratu Abdulsalam, who spoke on media stereotypes, victim blaming and reporting challenges, warned that headlines, language, photographs and story angles could either protect survivors or deepen their trauma.
She urged journalists, influencers and community correspondents to ensure that SGBV reports remained factual, evidence-based and focused on accountability.
Speaking on international and regional frameworks for combating SGBV, Dr Armsfree Ajanaku said instruments such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Maputo Protocol and the Sustainable Development Goals complemented Nigeria’s domestic laws.
Ajanaku said eliminating SGBV required sustained collaboration among government agencies, civil society organisations, development partners, the media and citizens.
34 states domesticate VAPP Act
Adekoye disclosed that 34 states had domesticated the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, leaving Kogi and Delta states as the only states yet to domesticate the legislation.
He said the law remained an important instrument in strengthening the legal framework for protecting Nigerians from various forms of violence.
The NAPTIP spokesperson also disclosed that the agency had secured three life-imprisonment convictions in SGBV-related cases.
However, he warned that emerging forms of technology-facilitated abuse were creating additional challenges for law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders.
He called for increased public awareness and stronger collaboration to address abuses facilitated through digital platforms and technologies.
The workshop also exposed journalists to issues surrounding confidentiality, privacy and informed consent when reporting cases involving survivors.
Participants were trained on responsible language and framing, survivor-centred visual ethics, victimology, different categories of victims and theories of victimisation.
They also examined Nigeria’s legal and regulatory framework for addressing SGBV, NAPTIP’s mandate and key provisions of the VAPP Act.
The organisers said the Media Corps would provide a platform for journalists to contribute more effectively to the fight against SGBV by combining accurate reporting with survivor protection and institutional accountability.
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