Appraisal of Public Perception of Lagos State Domestic Violence Policy

Abstract

The paucity of specific laws and policies to address domestic violence against women in Nigeria is palpable. The issue is further complicated by the inadequacy of the penal codes that have been used in most cases to substitute for the apparent lapses. Some states in the country have risen to the occasion of addressing this issue. Amongst such states is the metropolitan Lagos state who enacted a law on domestic violence and backed it up with a policy that focuses on the effect of domestic violence on children. In addition, the State has set up an agency that caters to the needs of the victims of domestic violence that report occurrence(s). While this is a laudable step by the Lagos government, this study revealed that the level of awareness is still incredibly low. Second, a substantial number of respondents still hold the cultural inclination to reporting incidences of domestic violence to their spiritual leaders more than not to report the same to the agency. Therefore, we call the Lagos Government to consider a policy review to make it more encompassing than focusing on the children. Second, we advocate for more stakeholders' engagement in the event of such consideration.