Lagos Records Over 2,200 Cases of Violence Against Girls in One Year

The Lagos State Government has revealed that 2,213 girls suffered various forms of violence between September 2024 and August 2025.

Executive Secretary of the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos as the world marked the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child.

Vivour-Adeniyi noted that the day offered an important opportunity to reflect on the challenges girls face and to strengthen efforts aimed at protecting their rights.

“In the past one year, the agency provided services to 8,692 survivors of violence, out of which 3,629 were children,” she said. “Of these, 60 percent were girls amounting to 2,213, who experienced physical, sexual, emotional, or neglect-related abuse.”

She added that children aged between zero and nine years were the most vulnerable to various forms of abuse, emphasizing that early intervention and support were critical.

According to her, the DSVA provides comprehensive care for survivors, including medical attention, psychosocial support, and rescue services where necessary.

“For children who have witnessed abuse, we ensure they receive psychosocial support through therapeutic methods such as play therapy, to help them understand that abuse is never acceptable and that conflicts can be resolved peacefully,” she explained.

Vivour-Adeniyi also revealed that in some cases, perpetrators of abuse were parents or close relatives. “When such cases arise, the agency works with the Ministry of Youth and Social Development to investigate and, if necessary, remove the child from a harmful environment,” she said.

She reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to ensuring that no child remains in an unsafe home, adding that survivors are placed in protective custody until they can be safely reunited with trusted family members.

The DSVA continues to call on communities to report cases of abuse promptly and to support ongoing efforts to create a safer environment for all children in Lagos State.