By: Blessing Agbeetan

In Plateau State, 12-year-old Mercy is one of the many survivors of sexual abuse. At a very tender age, she was raped by her brother and two neighbours. To compound her tragedy, her mother who was supposed to protect her, exploited her vulnerability by selling her to men for money. 

Mercy’s story is a grim reflection of the many women and girls subjected to abuse, often with no hope of escape. However, Mercy’s fortune changed after a compassionate neighbour she confided in, intervened by taking her away from the horrors of her home to a shelter provided by Christian Women for Excellence and Empowerment in the Nigerian Society (CWEENS), an organisation dedicated to supporting survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). 

“I have been at the shelter for two years now and my mum has never been here to check on me. They enrolled me in school where I learned to read and write. They also taught me how to make various things. I am currently in grade 2”, Mercy disclosed.

Back view of one of the survivors

Over the years, the north-central region of Nigeria has witnessed a troubling rise in sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), including forced and child marriages, rape, domestic violence, mental and sexual assault, female genital mutilation, and trafficking. According to the United Nations Population Fund, nearly three in ten Nigerian women experience physical violence by age 15. Factors such as insurgency, displacement, economic instability, cultural norms, inadequate legal protections, and lack of support services have exacerbated this crisis. Despite increased awareness and efforts to combat the menace of SGBV, survivors often lack the necessary support and the justice they truly deserve.

In 2023, Anthonia Omenogoh-Oshiniwe, President of the Kwara Civil Society Organisation on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, revealed that the state records between four to five cases of SGBV weekly. Plateau State records an estimated 430 cases of SGBV every month, with many resulting in severe physical harm and some being fatal. Many of these cases go unreported due to stigma and fear. In 2023, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) disclosed that 80 per cent of human rights violations in Plateau State are a result of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Approximately 33% of Nigerian women aged 15-49 experience physical violence, and 10% face sexual violence. However, the support infrastructure remains woefully insufficient, creating significant barriers to recovery and justice for survivors.

Founded in January 2010 in response to the crises in Plateau State which affect mostly women and girls, CWEENS offers a holistic approach to supporting SGBV survivors. Their services include trauma counselling, legal advocacy, life skills training, and grant support. CWEENS plays a pivotal role in reintegrating survivors into society, by equipping them with skills and resources to rebuild their lives. “Survivors of sexual and gender-based violence who approach our organisation receive trauma healing, counselling, psychotherapy, life skill training, skill acquisition and grants. The supported survivors are often rehabilitated and reintegrated into society”, Dirmcit Binyir Pyentam, CWEENS’ programmes manager disclosed.

Like Mercy, 14-year-old Faith found refuge with CWEENS when she needed it the most, after facing repeated rape attempts by her uncle. Despite confiding in her grandmother, nothing was done to stop the abuse. Instead, she was told to keep quiet about it. Fearing for her safety, she sought help from a neighbour who contacted CWEENS. Apart from being supported with a place she could call home, Faith was also equipped with skills and offered an opportunity to attend school. She stated, “Since arriving at the shelter, I have been taught how to care for myself and make items like soap and Vaseline. I have also been enrolled in school”.

 Front view of CWEENS Shelter

In Kwara State, the Global Hope for Women and Children Foundation (GLOHWOC) offers similar support for SGBV survivors, providing them with shelter, legal assistance, empowerment, counselling and medical support.

“Aside from shelter, we provide survivors with legal assistance. We work with the Ministry of Justice to get justice for survivors and we also empower our survivors because we see that some of them are incapacitated. We provide them with medical support and transportation allowance, to enable them go to court or where their cases are being handled”, Joy Obafemi, GLOHWOC’s programme officer stated.

Emphasising that supporting survivors of SGBV requires collective efforts, Obafemi stated further: “We also refer cases to other stakeholders such as the National Human Rights Commission, the Ministry of Justice, the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and the like, that can help us to get justice”.

Favour is one such survivor who received support from GLOHWOC. She found a place she could call home after she was rejected by her baby’s father and thrown out by her grandmother for getting pregnant out of wedlock. Favour would have ended up on the streets of Ilorin, save for GLOHWOC that came through for her by providing her shelter, medical assistance, and skill acquisition.

“Since I arrived at the shelter, I can sleep and wake up whenever I want. I eat regularly and frequently visit the hospital for antenatal care. The counsellor also checks up on me every week”, Favour disclosed.

At the shelter, Favour found more than just refuge; she found a lifeline.

 GLOHWOC’s Shelter

Ensuring the Safety of Survivors

Often, survivors don’t come forward to tell their stories due to the fear of the unknown. Therefore, ensuring the safety of SGBV survivors is paramount. “In the shelter, we have two community officers. One works in the morning and the other one works at night. We don’t experience any security issues because we have dedicated personnel monitoring the shelter at all times. Additionally, caregivers are present to ensure the safety and well-being of our residents, as their safety is our top priority”, Obafemi disclosed.

Janet Bitrus, House Manager at CWEENS, added, “We prioritise security and have security personnel to protect the shelter. Confidentiality is crucial to us, and we take every measure to ensure the safety of everyone in the shelter when handling cases. To maintain this safety, we do not disclose the shelter’s location. It’s safer for us that way”.

Legal Support

Helping survivors get the justice they truly deserve is a critical component of support. Some survivors avoid seeking legal recourse because they do not want to see their abusers in court so as not to relive their traumatic experiences. Others simply lack the support they need to follow through with the long judicial process. Jade Olise, a legal practitioner and human rights activist shared another reason survivors do not seek justice.

According to her, “We are Africans and there are certain things that are unheard of or still unspoken even as much as our society has advanced. There is the stigma that comes from people knowing that you were sexually abused, so a lot of people want to hide that fact from the public and this serves as a huge barrier to accessing justice”.

Before now, it was difficult to prove cases of rape because, by law, physical penetration must be proven. However, the enactment of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015, has eliminated that barrier and made it easier to prosecute cases of rape and sexual assault by removing the requirement to prove penetration. The VAPP Act was enacted as a result of rising gender-based violence and human rights abuse including rape, maiming, forceful ejection from home, forced isolation, acid bath, and killing.

Psychosocial Support

Beyond physical and legal support, addressing the psychological trauma from SGBV is crucial. Sexual and gender-based violence transcends the bruises, scars and pains that perpetrators inflict on survivors, it encompasses the trauma survivors feel and the fears that have been supplanted in them.

“Some survivors become mentally unstable. Some go through life from that point till they die, and don’t recover, if the trauma is left unattended to”, stated Remilekun Omitogun, a psychologist at GLOHWOC. “To address the stigma and shame, we must understand that SGBV is a crime against humanity, and the victim is not the one at fault. Let every one of us understand that sane people do not abuse others”, she added.

Undoubtedly, community support is vital for their recovery. “As individuals and community members, we can support survivors of SGBV by hearing them out. Do not ignore their cries; let them speak and listen with empathy. Welcome them back into society with open arms and offer protection. Through our words and actions, we will go a long way”, Omitogun advised.

Plateau State’s Effort in Combatting SGBV

In Plateau State, the war against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) has seen significant progress, thanks to a combination of government action and community collaboration. Ndam Alfred Tim, the Special Assistant to the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon Caroline Panglang Dafur; provided insights into the state’s ongoing efforts to support survivors and tackle SGBV head-on.

“When we came into office, the cases were rampant and it was one of the challenges that we had to face head-on. The number of cases has decreased with the message reaching the community that the government is responsive and serious about addressing SGBV issues. We compile data at the end of each month. As of last month, the Plateau State government has fully intervened in over 87 cases.”, Ndam explained.

Citing that perpetrators often use community leaders to evade justice, he said, “Perpetrators have a way of getting the community leaders to negotiate battering at home. We have sent messages to the community that this administration takes social protection very seriously”.

Shelters play a crucial role in the protection and rehabilitation of SGBV survivors. Recognising this, the Plateau State currently collaborates with different organisations to provide temporary refuge for survivors. These shelters offer safe havens where survivors can access medical, legal, and psychosocial support.

“Plateau State is trying to fix its shelter. At the moment, we partner with the National Child Care Protection Network and the Association of Private Home Owners, who graciously give us access to their shelter where we can take some of the survivors”, Ndam disclosed.

“The government handles the costs and logistics of seeking justice while rehabilitating victims and empowering them where necessary. It is no longer business as usual in Plateau State, anyone caught will be fully prosecuted,” he warned.

The ministry collaborates closely with shelters and organisations including, CWEENS, relying on them for detailed data and support services. A notable success story is that of Mrs Ibrahim Hauwa, whose hand was severed by her husband.

“Hauwa was seven months pregnant when her husband severed her hand. As we speak, Hauwa has successfully delivered with care and support from the government through the Ministry of Women Affairs. She was also empowered with a provision shop and now she can take care of the home front”, Ndam mentioned, emphasising the tangible impact of these interventions.

Shelters often function as transitional spaces where survivors can recover and heal from their trauma. They are more than just temporary refuges; they are places of profound recovery and empowerment.

“The shelter is designed to be a temporary space because keeping everyone permanently would limit our ability to support other survivors in need. While staying with us, survivors receive psychosocial support, trauma healing, and counselling”, Janet Bitrus disclosed. “We ensure that survivors learn skills that will empower them to be self-reliant and economically independent when they leave the shelter and also give them starter packs to establish their businesses”, she added.

Expectedly, running organisations like CWEENS and GLOHWOC comes with significant challenges. Family interference and survivors’ reluctance to pursue legal cases are common issues.

“When cases are referred to us, family members wouldn’t want the case to get to court, and they want to settle it in-house. Sometimes, the survivors also withdraw from their cases even before they get justice”, Obafemi disclosed. She stated further, “Apart from providing survivors with money or taking them to the medical centre, sometimes our efforts are being delayed because some cases are referred to us in the middle of the night and we don’t have a means of transportation. We always have to go by taxi, but majorly family interference is our biggest challenge in addressing SGBV cases”.

Like GLOHWOC, CWEENS also has its fair share of challenges. According to Bitrus, “Every case is peculiar in its way. There are a lot of challenges actually because as social workers, we have to learn to manage our emotions. We can’t be too emotional neither can we be emotionless”.

“We are seriously running out of resources and funding. It got to a point where my boss had to use her money to run things. For her, we cannot just close down the shelter since it is a passion for us. How will people access help, if we close it?”, she queried.

While organisations like CWEENS and GLOHWOC are already setting the pace, there is a need for more collaborations to better support survivors of SGBV and create a safer and more supportive environment for them. “Organisations need to come together and do better. As much as we can, we need to also establish safe spaces and offer support services for women and girls”, Olise stated.

The government and international organisations should strive to financially support the efforts of non-governmental and community-based organisations advocating against sexual and gender-based violence. “We collaborate closely with the ministry, and from the very beginning, they have consistently used the CWEENS shelter. One thing we always emphasise is that if the government is using our shelter, we also need assistance. Without financial support, we cannot continue this essential work”, Bitrus lamented.

In many communities, the culture of silence surrounding abuse has devastating consequences, not only for survivors but for their families as well. One of the most critical steps in breaking this cycle is empowering survivors to share their experiences.

Bitrus advised, “Whatever you’re going through, don’t keep it to yourself. You need to find the courage to speak up. Remember, even if you aren’t traumatised, what about your children? They could be deeply affected”. “If you’re being abused, and you don’t show your children that it’s wrong, they might grow up thinking abuse is normal. We have a responsibility to help our society and our children, so they can grow up in healthy homes and environments, and eventually nurture good and healthy families of their own”, she added.

By encouraging survivors to speak out, we can help build a society where children are raised in healthy homes, free from the shadows of abuse.

Members of society hold a collective responsibility of creating an environment where survivors can confidently share their stories without fear or stigma, protecting and supporting survivors to break the culture of silence by speaking out about their experiences, as well as reporting cases of sexual and gender-based violence around them. As Ndam Alfred Tim advised, “See something, say something”.

This story was produced by Women Radio 91.7 in partnership with Nigeria Health Watch through the Solutions Journalism Network.