Digital safety and rights group Techsocietal has expressed concern that the reluctance of victims of gender-based violence (GBV) to pursue their cases is allowing more perpetrators to evade justice.

This was highlighted during an Online Safety Forum held in Lagos, which brought together experts from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Google, Meta, and other key organisations.

The forum addressed online safety, digital rights, and cybersecurity challenges.

Participants discussed solutions for protecting vulnerable communities online, combating misinformation, and improving platform accountability.

According to the organisers, the event aimed to highlight problems and devise solutions that could shape the future of safe and inclusive digital spaces.

Techsocietal’s Executive Director, Tope Ogundipe, emphasised the importance of stakeholder collaboration on online safety issues, including gender-based violence, child online protection, and platform responsibility.

“Parents need to be cautious about allowing young children unrestricted access to social media platforms,” Ogundipe said.

On the issue of supporting victims of sexual assault, Ogundipe stated: “If a child has been subjected to sexual violence, the first step is to report to the authorities. However, many victims do not follow through with their cases.

“They find the legal process overwhelming, and often the behaviour of law enforcement is not survivor-centred, leading to re-traumatisation.”

She explained that victims frequently abandon their cases due to the need to recount their traumatic experiences repeatedly.

“When victims withdraw, it leaves us without sufficient evidence to build a case, making it difficult to achieve justice.”

Zinab Aminu, an official from the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), noted that while perpetrators of GBV are increasingly being prosecuted, more needs to be done.

“Prosecution serves as a deterrent, and we are training first responders in the North to ensure evidence is preserved for court proceedings.”

Addressing child marriage, Aminu said: “We are not necessarily aiming to end child marriage in the North but to discourage it by raising awareness of health risks like Vesico-Vaginal Fistula (VVF).”