Inside Lagos’ SGBV Crisis: 33,009 Cases Recorded in 5 Years

Kehinde Adeleye

For nearly 5 years, thousands of Lagos residents have sought government intervention after experiencing sexual and gender based violence, exposing the scale of a crisis that officials say cannot be measured by reported cases alone.

Between September 2021 and July 2026, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, DSVA, handled 33,009 cases of sexual and gender based violence, with domestic violence accounting for the largest share of complaints.

The figures were disclosed during a media parley organised by the agency to mark the commencement of the 2026 Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month.

An analysis of the data shows that domestic violence alone accounted for 13,515 cases, making it the most frequently reported form of violence recorded by the agency during the period.

Other cases included 1,171 defilement cases, 797 cases involving child abuse and physical assault, 420 rape cases, 428 sexual harassment cases and 100 cases of sexual assault by penetration.

The agency also dealt with cases involving technology facilitated sexual and gender based violence, threats to life, attempted rape and family related disputes.

But behind the statistics are thousands of individuals and families whose experiences have often involved trauma, fear, displacement and lengthy searches for justice.

Speaking at the event, the Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, SAN, said the figures should not be viewed merely as statistics.

“Behind every case is an individual, a family and often a story of trauma, courage and the search for justice,” Pedro said.

He said the responsibility of government extended beyond receiving complaints, stressing the need to ensure that victims are heard, survivors receive adequate support and perpetrators are brought within the ambit of the law.

Support for survivors

The response recorded by the DSVA during the period included legal, psychological, emergency and protective interventions.

According to the agency, 175 survivors received free legal support, while 40 people requiring immediate protection were accommodated at Eko Haven and other safe shelters.

Its Clinical Psychology Department provided psychotherapy and counselling to 953 survivors, 267 perpetrators and 304 children.

The agency also carried out 501 rescue operations involving people considered to be in dangerous situations.

Among those receiving intervention were 46 persons with disabilities who experienced gender based violence.

The figures indicate that the response to SGBV has increasingly moved beyond complaint registration to emergency intervention, psychological support and access to justice.

Justice remains a major test

While support services have expanded, the ability to translate complaints into legal outcomes remains one of the most closely watched aspects of the state’s response.

The DSVA said it secured 20 restraining orders under the Lagos State Protection Against Domestic Violence Law 2015 and supported the investigation and prosecution of 464 SGBV related cases.

More than 711 cases were charged to court, while the Directorate of Public Prosecutions in the Ministry of Justice secured over 160 convictions during the period under review.

However, the government is also warning against interpreting the numbers too narrowly.

The agency reported a 23.6 per cent decline in cases during the comparative period, but Pedro cautioned that fewer reported cases do not necessarily mean that fewer incidents of violence are occurring.

He explained that reporting figures can be influenced by public awareness, access to support services and the willingness or ability of survivors to report abuse.

That distinction is significant because a decline in reported cases could represent either genuine progress or cases that remain hidden.

For the Lagos Government, therefore, the ultimate measure of success is not simply how many cases reach its agencies.

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

Prevention becomes new focus

In an attempt to tackle violence before it occurs, the DSVA said its sensitisation programmes have reached an estimated 1,964,559 residents across Lagos’ 20 Local Government Areas.

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

The agency has also expanded its presence through sub offices in Kosofe and Ikorodu while strengthening training for frontline professionals and improving digital reporting channels.

Among the reporting mechanisms is the reintroduced *USSD short code 6820# and the ASK INU WhatsApp chatbot.

The Executive Secretary of the DSVA, Titilola Vivour Adeniyi, said the agency’s 2026 campaign would move beyond awareness towards prevention, stronger community participation and more effective response systems.

With the theme “SGBV: It Ends With Us,” she called for collective responsibility involving families, schools, workplaces, communities and institutions.

A month of action

The month long campaign began on September 1 with Turn Lagos Purple activities along Ikorodu Road and in Lekki Phase 1, followed by Turn Alausa Purple on September 2.

The programme includes training for medical social workers, police officers attached to Family Support Units, frontline workers and health workers, as well as disability inclusive case management training.

Survivors’ Day is scheduled for September 15, while private sector stakeholders will be engaged on preventing sexual harassment in workplaces.

A Market Fiesta is also scheduled for Ile Epo Market, alongside a Safeguarding and Child Protection Week from September 21 to 25, targeting more than 1,200 students across the state’s 6 Education Districts.

On September 24 and 25, Lagos will host the National Convening of Gender Based Violence State Coordinators and launch the Lagos State GBV Prevention Policy.

The campaign will end on September 29 with the Governor’s Commendation and Awards Night for individuals, institutions and partners contributing to the fight against domestic and sexual violence.

For survivors and residents who may be experiencing abuse, the DSVA urged them to speak up and seek help.

The agency’s toll free reporting line is 08000 333 333.