NAPTIP Reports One in Five Nigerian Women Face Violence

According to the latest statistics from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), one in every five Nigerian women aged 15 to 49 has experienced physical or sexual violence. This report was released last Tuesday during a collaboration between NAPTIP, the European Union (EU), and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) aimed at utilizing media to address institutional failures and the culture of silence surrounding sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Nigeria.

Despite the provisions of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act 2015, which prohibits various forms of violence against vulnerable persons, reports of violence against women continue to rise. The initiative launched in Abuja under the EU-supported End Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Programme includes specialized training for journalists to report on SGBV more effectively.

The report highlights that societal stigma and patriarchal interpretations contribute to the underreporting of such violence, leading to a climate of impunity.