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Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) remains one of Nigeria’s most disturbing social crises. It is a menace that cuts across social classes, religious affiliations and geographical boundaries, leaving behind broken families, psychological trauma, physical injuries and, in some tragic cases, loss of life. The time has come for Nigeria to move beyond rhetoric and symbolism and adopt more aggressive, coordinated and sustained measures to curb the menace.
Against this background, the recent decision by the Lagos State Government to turn Alausa and government establishments across the metropolis purple on September 2, 2026, as part of activities against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, is commendable. Such campaigns send a strong message that sexual and domestic violence have no place in a civilised society and that the government maintains zero tolerance for the menace.
However, public awareness must go beyond symbolic gestures. Many Lagos residents are still unaware of the existence and functions of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), including the mechanisms available to survivors and victims seeking help. The Sex Offenders Register, established under the state's legal framework and assented to by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in September 2021, is another important instrument in the fight against sexual violence and should receive greater public attention.
At the national level, the implementation of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP) should be strengthened, while states that have yet to adopt appropriate legislation should be encouraged to do so without further delay. Laws are important, but their effectiveness ultimately depends on enforcement, public awareness and the willingness of institutions to protect victims and prosecute offenders.
Domestic Violence Goes Beyond Beating
Domestic violence is often wrongly reduced to physical assault. In reality, abuse within marriage, intimate relationships or families can take several forms, including physical, verbal, emotional, psychological, financial, reproductive, religious and sexual abuse.
It may also occur between former spouses or intimate partners and, in a broader family context, between parents and children, siblings and other relatives. Modern technology has further created new avenues for abuse, including the use of social media and digital devices to monitor, harass, threaten, control or invade the privacy of partners and family members.
Sexual violence can include rape and other forms of sexual abuse, while harmful traditional practices such as female genital mutilation also constitute serious violations of human rights.
The World Health Organization has repeatedly identified violence against women as a major public-health and human-rights concern, with about one in three women globally experiencing physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. This should remind us that the issue is not a private family disagreement but a serious societal problem requiring collective action.
The Role of Religion and Society
Government cannot win this battle alone. Religious institutions, traditional leaders, community organisations, civil society groups and the media must all become active participants in the campaign.
Religious leaders, in particular, possess enormous influence over their congregations and communities. Their sermons and teachings should consistently condemn domestic and sexual violence rather than treating abuse as a family matter that should be hidden to protect the reputation of the family or institution.
Premarital counselling should also receive greater attention. Couples preparing for marriage should be educated about communication, conflict resolution, mutual respect, financial responsibilities, consent and the dangers of abusive behaviour. Such education should not end at the wedding ceremony; it should continue throughout family life.
Continuous sensitisation through religious, social and community channels can help dismantle cultural beliefs that normalise violence and silence survivors. Laws can punish offenders, but sustained education is needed to change attitudes.
Marriage Must Never Become a Prison
While discussing SGBV, society must also examine the circumstances that sometimes place vulnerable people in dangerous relationships. Young people should be properly counselled before entering marriage, and parents must resist the temptation to force their children into marriages for financial, social or family interests.
No parent should compel a daughter or son to marry against their wishes simply because the proposed marriage appears economically or socially advantageous. Marriage should be based on informed consent, mutual respect and genuine commitment.
At the same time, young people must be encouraged to recognise warning signs of abusive relationships. Many violent marriages do not suddenly become violent after the wedding. Controlling behaviour, threats, extreme jealousy, intimidation, humiliation and other warning signs may already be visible during courtship but are sometimes ignored because of emotional attachment.
Love should never be used as an excuse to overlook persistent abusive behaviour.
Economic hardship is also not a justification for violence. Some offenders attempt to blame poverty, frustration, alcohol or substance use for their actions. Such explanations cannot excuse abuse. Poverty may create pressure, but it does not compel a person to assault, threaten or sexually abuse another human being.
Where criminal conduct has occurred, law enforcement agencies must investigate promptly and ensure that offenders face due process and appropriate sanctions.
Children Learn What Society Shows Them
One of the most worrying aspects of domestic violence is its intergenerational effect. Children who repeatedly witness violence at home may grow up believing that such behaviour is normal.
When a child consistently sees one parent physically abusing another, the child may internalise the dangerous idea that violence is an acceptable way to resolve conflict. This is why preventing domestic violence is also an investment in the next generation.
Communities must equally reject the culture of silence. Cases of rape or sexual abuse involving children must never be settled quietly in order to protect the reputation of a family or prevent public embarrassment. Survivors, particularly children, need protection, support and justice, not shame.
Covering up abuse does not protect a community. It protects the perpetrator and creates the conditions for further abuse.
Schools Have a Critical Role
Schools also have a major responsibility in preventing SGBV. The message must be clear: say no to sexual violence and gender-based violence.
Teachers should serve as role models and protect students from abuse rather than exploiting their positions of authority. Any allegation of sexual misconduct involving a teacher or other school employee should be treated seriously and handled through appropriate safeguarding and legal procedures.
Students should equally be educated about personal boundaries, respect, consent, safe relationships, online safety and how to report abuse. Discipline in schools should be firm but humane, lawful and focused on correcting behaviour rather than inflicting violence.
The school is one of the most important environments for shaping the values of tomorrow's society. If children are taught early that violence is unacceptable, they are more likely to grow into adults who respect the dignity and rights of others.
From Campaigns to Concrete Action
The purple illumination of Alausa is a welcome symbol, but the fight against SGBV cannot end when the lights go off.
Nigeria needs sustained public education, effective implementation of existing laws, stronger survivor-support systems, responsible policing, speedy investigation of complaints, access to justice and consistent prosecution of offenders.
Parents must educate their children. Religious leaders must speak boldly. Schools must protect students. Communities must reject the culture of silence. Government must enforce its laws. And citizens must understand that domestic violence is not a private matter when another person's safety, dignity and life are at risk.
The fight against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence requires more than a day of awareness. It requires a sustained national commitment.
If Nigeria is serious about building a safe and just society, then every home, school, religious institution, community and government office must become part of the solution.
The purple campaign must therefore be more than a colour. It must become a symbol of a society determined to end the culture of silence, protect survivors and ensure that violence has no hiding place.
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