SGBV: LAGOS PROVIDES HOLISTIC SUPPORT TO 33,009 SURVIVORS
… Commemorates Five Years Of DSVA Achievements
… Unveils September Awareness Month Activities
The Lagos State Government has provided holistic support to 33,009 survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence through the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) between September 2021 and July 2026. This was revealed while unveiling activities for the 2026 Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month scheduled for September and
commemorating five years of interventions.
The disclosure was made on Monday, August 31, 2026, at a Media Parley organised by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency to mark the commencement of the 2026 Awareness Month, with the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, highlighting the State’s achievements and renewed commitment to preventing Domestic and Sexual Violence, protecting survivors and ensuring perpetrators are held accountable.
Speaking on the five year journey, Pedro noted that between September 2021 and July 2026, DSVA received 33,009 cases through physical walk-ins and its Virtual Referral and Response Service (VRRS), with domestic violence remaining the most frequently reported form of violence, accounting for 13,515 cases. Other cases handled during the period included 1,171 cases of defilement, 797 cases of child abuse and physical assault, 420 rape cases, 428 sexual harassment cases and 100 cases of sexual assault by penetration, alongside cases involving technology facilitated sexual and gender-based violence, threats to life, attempted rape and family related disputes.
The Attorney-General stressed that the figures should not be viewed merely as statistics, noting that behind every case is an individual, a family and often a story of trauma, courage and the search for justice. He said the responsibility of government was to ensure that every victim is heard, every survivor is supported, and every perpetrator is brought within the ambit of the law.
On the State’s response, Pedro disclosed that free legal support was provided to 175 survivors, while 40 survivors requiring immediate safety were accommodated at Eko Haven and other safe shelters. The Agency’s Clinical Psychology Department also provided psychotherapy and counselling to 953 survivors, 267 perpetrators, and 304 children, while 501 rescue operations were conducted to provide immediate protection to individuals in dangerous environments. DSVA also provided services to 46 Persons with Disabilities experiencing Gender-Based Violence.
On the justice front, 20 restraining orders were obtained under the Lagos State Protection Against Domestic Violence Law 2015, while the Agency financially supported the investigation and prosecution of 464 SGBV-related cases. Over 711 cases were charged to court, while the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, Ministry of Justice, secured over 160 convictions within the period.
Pedro noted that the State recorded a 23.6 per cent decline in reported cases in the comparative period under review, but cautioned that a reduction in reported cases should not automatically be interpreted as an equivalent reduction in the actual prevalence of violence, as reporting is influenced by awareness, access to services and survivors’ willingness and ability to seek help. He emphasised that the ultimate objective of the State is not simply to have fewer cases on its database, but to ensure that fewer people experience violence in the first place. According to him, “The most successful SGBV case is ultimately the one that never happens.”
The Attorney-General also highlighted the State’s preventive interventions, including statewide sensitisation campaigns that reached an estimated 1,964,559 residents across the 20 Local Government Areas, school outreach programmes, community and market engagements, the Kings & Queens Club initiative, Purple Lagos Campus Activation, engagement with traditional rulers and the establishment of community dialogue structures. He noted that DSVA had also strengthened access to services through the establishment of sub offices in Kosofe and Ikorodu, capacity building for frontline professionals, the Lagos State Religious Premarital Counselling Online Course, the reintroduction of the USSD short code *6820#, and the ASK INU WhatsApp Chat Bot.
Also speaking on the 2026 Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month, the Executive Secretary of DSVA, Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi said the September campaign was designed to move beyond awareness to active prevention, stronger community participation and improved response systems. Vivour said this year’s theme, “SGBV-IT ENDS WITH US,” is a call for personal and collective responsibility, stressing that preventing Domestic and Sexual Violence cannot be left to government alone but requires the active participation of families, communities, schools, workplaces, institutions and individuals.
She explained that Lagos State has commemorated Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month every September since 2015, using the period to deepen public awareness, strengthen prevention and response efforts, and bring stakeholders together around the shared responsibility of creating safer communities.
According to the Executive Secretary, the month long programme will commence on September 1 with Turn Lagos Purple along Ikorodu Road and in Lekki Phase 1, followed by Turn Alausa Purple on September 2, where public servants will wear purple ribbons as a symbol of solidarity against Domestic and Sexual Violence. Other activities lined up include training for medical social workers on SGBV prevention and response; training of Police Officers of newly upgraded Family Support Units; Caring for the Carers, a mental wellness experience for frontline staff; disability inclusive case management training; an Advocacy Walk Against SGBV in Lagos Island; training of newly recruited health workers; and Survivors’ Day on September 15, 2026.
The programme will also feature private sector engagement on workplace sexual harassment prevention, a Market Fiesta at Ile-Epo Market, and Safeguarding and Child Protection Week from September 21 to 25, which will reach over 1,200 students across the six Education Districts.
A major highlight of the month will be the National Convening of Gender-Based Violence State Coordinators scheduled for September 24 and 25, alongside the launch of the Lagos State GBV Prevention Policy, while the month will culminate on September 29 with the Governor’s Commendation and Awards Night, recognising individuals,
institutions and partners who have
demonstrated exceptional commitment to preventing and responding to
Domestic and Sexual Violence.
Vivour-Adeniyi stated that the Agency expects the Awareness Month to result in greater public awareness, stronger capacity among frontline professionals, deeper community engagement, increased reporting and intervention, improved access to support services, and stronger collaboration among government, civil society organisations and the private sector. She urged Lagosians to take ownership of the campaign and speak up whenever they encounter Domestic or Sexual Violence, stressing that survivors deserve safety, dignity and justice. Members of the public can report cases through the DSVA toll-free line 0-8000-333-333.
The Agency expressed appreciation to the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for his leadership, support and commitment to strengthening the State’s response to Domestic and Sexual Violence. It also acknowledged the Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, the Lagos State Judiciary, led by Hon. Justice Kazeem Alogba, and the Lagos State House of Assembly, led by Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Obasa, for their support and demonstration of the requisite political will towards reducing the menace. The Head of Service, Mr. Bode Agoro, and the Public Service Office were also appreciated for their continued partnership, particularly in supporting the Awareness Month’s activities across the Lagos State Public Service.
The Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness (DSVA) reaffirmed that while the decline in reported cases is encouraging, its true measure of success remains a Lagos where fewer people experience violence, survivors have timely access to safety, support and justice, and perpetrators are held accountable.
Comments
Post a Comment