Domestic Violence in Nigeria: What the Law Says and How Victims Can Get Help
Introduction:
Love is meant to heal, not harm. Yet, behind closed doors and veiled smiles, many suffer in silence, bruised by the very hands that once held them tenderly.
In a society where love is often romanticised and abuse is hidden behind tradition, shame or fear, it’s time to ask: what does the law truly say about domestic violence and more importantly, does it protect the people who need it most?
When affection turns to aggression and care becomes control, it’s no longer love but abuse.
Domestic violence is not a private matter or a family issue to be swept under the rug. It is a crime. And Nigerian law has something to say about it.
Understanding Domestic Violence
The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines domestic violence as a range of coercive sexual, psychological, and physical acts committed by an intimate partner, either current or former.
But domestic violence in Nigeria isn’t limited to romantic partners, it also refers to actions taken against a family member or member of the household that would reasonably be expected to terrorise, fear, intimidate, threaten, harass, or molest. Furthermore, it makes no difference if no physical force was used on the victim, as long as they were in danger.
Domestic violence in Nigeria is a serious issue with devastating real-life consequences. Cases range from physical abuse like beatings and torture to sexual violence like rape, and even death. A significant number of women experience domestic violence from their partners, often enduring it in silence due to societal pressures and lack of support.
According to the CLEEN foundation, one out of every three persons, acknowledged having experienced domestic abuse. The statistics also revealed that, from 21% in 2011 to 30% in 2013, there has been a national rise in domestic violence during the previous three years.
The menace is eating deep as most of the victims do not speak out about violations of their rights, a result of nonchalance, shame, insensitivity, and negative response from their immediate family and society at large.
Types of Domestic Violence
Abuse comes in many different forms, including:
- Physical Abuse: characterised as mistreating someone in a way that can have a negative impact on their physical well-being. Physical abuse can take many different forms, such as striking, shaking, tossing, poisoning, drowning, choking, burning, scorching, or occasionally even causing death.
- Sexual Abuse: All types of sexual assault, harassment, and exploitation fall under this category. In addition to utilising children for sexual objectives, such as child prostitution and pornography, it entails coercing someone into engaging in sexual activity.
- Emotional and Psychological Abuse: This includes neglect, lack of proper care, verbal insults and generally interactions where the victim’s self-worth is attacked and diminished.
- Harmful Cultural Practices: Unfortunately, in Nigeria, there are many cultural practices perpetrated against women which constitute a form of abuse to them. These include Female Genital Mutilation(FGM), which is all procedures that involves partial or total removal of the female external genitalia and or injury to the female genital organs for cultural and any other therapeutic reasons. The procedure is typically performed on girls aged between four and thirteen, but in some cases, FGM is performed on newborn infants or on young women before marriage or pregnancy.
What Nigerian Law Says About Domestic Violence
Nigeria has taken legal steps to combat domestic violence, primarily through the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP Act) and the Protection Against Domestic Violence Law (PADVL) in Lagos.
- The VAPP Act 2015:
The VAPP Act, a federal law, prohibits domestic violence, including physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, and provides remedies like protection orders, compensation for victims and criminal penalties for abusers..
However, its application is limited to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and states must adopt it for it to be effective within their borders. All the states in Nigeria have adopted this Act except Kano State.
Key Provisions:
Section 19 (1) : A person who batters his or her spouse commits offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three years or to a fine not exceeding N200,000 or both.
Section 19(2): A person who attempts to commit the act of violence provided
for in subsection 1 of this section commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of
imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or to a fine, not exceeding N100,000 or both.
Section 19(3): A person who incites, aides, abets or counsels another person to commit the act
of violence as provided for in subsection 1 of this Section commits an offence and is liable upon
conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or to a fine not exceeding N200,000
or both.
The law empowers the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Person and other
Related Matters (NAPTIP) as regulatory body mandated to administer the provision of the law
and collaborate with the appropriate stakeholders.
In the case of FCT v. Basil (2022), the defendant was charged under the VAPP Act, for assaulting his wife including repeated beatings and psychological abuse.
He was convicted under Sections 2 and 19 of the VAPP Act and ordered to pay compensation.
Also, in FRN v. Blessing Okoro (2023) the defendant was charged under Section 20 of the VAPP Act for the Psychological and emotional abuse of her teenage daughter. The court issued
Protection order against the mother and mandated counselling. This shows that domestic violence is not limited to spousal abuse, it can include violence against children and dependents.
2. Protection Against Domestic Violence Law of Lagos State (PADVL):
Section 1 provides that no person shall commit domestic violence against any other person under the law.
This law is only applicable in Lagos State and only the magistrate and high court have jurisdiction to hear and determine criminal matters arising from this law. The court is also statutorily empowered to grant interim protective order in favor of a person who is being abused.
In FRN v. Akinola (2021), the defendant was charged under the PADVL for threatening to kill his
partner and throwing household items at her. The defendant was granted bail but restrained from
contacting the victim.
Conclusion:
Domestic violence in Nigeria is not just a personal issue, it is a human rights violation that affects individuals, families, and communities.
While laws like the VAPP Act, PADVL and state specific protections in Ekiti and Cross River have paved the way for accountability and justice, implementation requires consistent enforcement and collective will.
At AWJAI, we believe that true justice begins when survivors are heard, protected and empowered. Beyond legal aid, we walk beside survivors, offering support, dignity and a path to healing.
Because justice is not just a verdict. It’s a voice. A choice. And a future free from fear.
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By the AWJAI Research Team