For thousands of survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence  (SGBV) in Lagos, escaping abuse has often been the beginning of a difficult journey towards safety, healing and justice.

Between September 2021 and July 2026, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) handled 33,009 cases, offering survivors a range of interventions, including legal assistance, psychological support, emergency shelter and access to justice.

The figures were disclose yesterday at a media parley organised by the DSVA to mark the beginning of the 2026 Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month.

Speaking at the event, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro (SAN), said the five-year record reflected the state’s sustained efforts to protect survivors, prevent violence and ensure that perpetrators were brought to justice.

He, however, stressed that the figures represented more than statistics.

“Behind every case is an individual, a family and often a story of trauma, courage and the search for justice,” Pedro said, noting that the responsibility of government was to ensure that every victim was heard, every survivor supported and every perpetrator brought within the ambit of the law.

Of the 33,009 cases received through physical walk-ins and the agency’s Virtual Referral and Response Service, domestic violence accounted for the largest number, with 13,515 cases.

The agency also recorded 1,171 cases of defilement, 797 cases involving child abuse and physical assault, 420 rape cases, 428 cases of sexual harassment and 100 cases of sexual assault by penetration.

Other reported cases included technology-facilitated sexual and gender-based violence, threats to life, attempted rape and family-related disputes.

Beyond receiving complaints, the DSVA said it had provided direct support to survivors and others affected by violence.

Free legal support was provided to 175 survivors, while 40 people who required immediate protection were accommodated at Eko Haven and other safe shelters.

Through its Clinical Psychology Department, the agency provided psychotherapy and counselling to 953 survivors, 267 perpetrators and 304 children.

It also conducted 501 rescue operations to protect people in dangerous environments and provided support 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.

More than 711 cases were charged to court, with the Directorate of Public Prosecutions in the Ministry of Justice securing over 160 convictions during the period.

Pedro, represented by Executive Secretary of DSVA, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, said Lagos had also recorded a 23.6 per cent decline in reported cases in the comparative period under review.

But he cautioned against interpreting the decline as proof that the actual prevalence of violence had fallen by the same margin, explaining that reporting was influenced by public awareness, access to services and survivors’ willingness and ability to seek help.

According to him, the ultimate goal is not simply to reduce the number of cases on government databases, but to ensure that fewer people experience violence in the first place.

“The most successful SGBV case is ultimately the one that never happens,” he said.

To prevent violence before it occurs, the state said its sensitisation campaigns had reached an estimated 1,964,559 residents across the 20 Local Government Areas.

The interventions included school outreach programmes, community and market engagements, the Kings & Queens Club initiative, Purple Lagos Campus Activation, engagements with traditional rulers and the establishment of community dialogue structures.

The agency has also expanded access to services through 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 chatbot.

As Lagos begins another Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month, the Executive Secretary of DSVA, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, said the focus would be on moving beyond awareness to active prevention, stronger community participation and improved response systems.

She said this year’s theme, “SGBV – It Ends With Us,” was a call for collective responsibility, stressing that the prevention of domestic and sexual violence could not be left to government alone.

Families, communities, schools, workplaces, institutions and individuals, she said, all have roles to play in creating safer environments.

The September programme will begin on September 1 with Turn Lagos Purple along Ikorodu Road and in Lekki Phase 1, followed by Turn Alausa Purple on September 2, when public servants will wear purple ribbons in solidarity against domestic and sexual violence.

Other activities include training for medical social workers on SGBV prevention and response; training for police officers attached to newly upgraded Family Support Units; a mental wellness programme, Caring for the Carers, for frontline workers; disability-inclusive case management training; an advocacy walk against SGBV in Lagos Island; and training for newly recruited health workers.

Survivors’ Day will be held on September 15, while private-sector stakeholders will be engaged on workplace sexual harassment prevention.

A Market Fiesta is also scheduled for Ile-Epo Market, alongside a Safeguarding and Child Protection Week from September 21 to 25, expected to reach more than 1,200 students across the state’s six Education Districts.

Another major event will be the National Convening of Gender-Based Violence State Coordinators on September 24 and 25, alongside the launch of the Lagos State GBV Prevention Policy.

The month-long programme will culminate on September 29 with the Governor’s Commendation and Awards Night, where individuals, institutions and partners who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to preventing and responding to domestic and sexual violence will be recognised.

Vivour-Adeniyi said the agency expected the campaign to produce 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 and the private sector.

She urged Lagos residents 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, 08000-333-333.

The Lagos State Government also acknowledged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his leadership and support for efforts to strengthen the state’s response to domestic and sexual violence, while commending the Deputy Governor, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat; the Lagos State Judiciary; the Lagos State House of Assembly; the Head of Service, Bode Agoro; and the Public Service Office for their support.

The state government said that although the decline in reported cases was encouraging, the real measure of success would be a Lagos where fewer people experience violence, survivors have timely access to safety, support and justice, and perpetrators are held accountable.
Photo: Sexual violence