The Lagos government says at least 70 men experienced domestic violence perpetrated by their wives in the last one year.
Bolaji Cecilia-Dada, commissioner for women affairs and poverty alleviation in Lagos, spoke on Wednesday during the ministerial press briefing to mark the first anniversary of Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the office for his second term, as governor of Lagos.
Cecilia-Dada said the ministry recorded 662 cases of sexual violence, noting that 21 women did not give sufficient information about their situation.
“The domestic violence unit recorded the total number of sexual violence cases from 2023 to date. Through the ministry, 23 males came to report cases of gender-based violence, and 247 women also came,” the commissioner said.
“Through our toll-free lines, 43 males reported and 324 females reported, and 21 women did not give adequate information. So a total of 662 cases were reported from 2023 till date.”
She said the state government also sensitised women at the market and riverine areas during the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence in 2023.
The commissioner added that the ministry, in collaboration with the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), initiated the purple project to enable prompt response to cases of sexual and gender-based violence.
Also speaking, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, executive secretary of the Lagos Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), said between September 2022 and July 2023, at least 340 men reported experiencing domestic violence.