NAPTIP Raises Alarm on Increasing Gender-Based Violence Against Men
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has brought attention to a concerning increase in men becoming victims of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in recent times.
The Director General of NAPTIP, Fatima Waziri-Aza made this revelation during a workshop supported by the FORD Foundation on Wednesday in Abuja.
Waziri-Aza, addressing the gathering, disclosed that instances of violence against men include physical abuse, separating fathers from their children, and eviction from shared homes. Reassuring male victims that legal protections are in place, she highlighted that NAPTIP has received 15 complaints on such cases in 2023.
The Director General emphasized the shift in reporting trends, stating, “We have also started seeing new trends. In the past, we never used to get complaints from men. But now, we get complaints from men. Even though we know that most of these SGBV issues affect women more, but for the fact that men are reporting and are speaking up. It shows us that attitudes that used to be seen as normal in the past, attitude that used to be tolerated, is no longer tolerated.”
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Acknowledging the cultural shift, she continued, “I know that for this year, we have received about 15 complaints from men. These complaints border on physical violence from their partner. It also borders on women isolating fathers from their children and pushing their husbands out of their shared homes. This was something that never happened before. In the past I think, men are taught to be strong and internalize issues, but it is gratifying to see that men are speaking up. So this shows that men and boys also go through these issues. The laws are also there to protect them.”
The workshop, according to Waziri-Aza, serves as a platform for stakeholders to enhance collaboration, understand their roles in combating SGBV, and discuss strategies to intensify advocacy efforts for prevention and intervention.
Reflecting on NAPTIP’s efforts, she shared, “For us at NAPTIP, last year alone, we received about 2,400 cases of SGBV in the Federal Capital Territory, and with figures from January to October, we are closely pushing to the level that we saw last year. But one thing I can say for sure, most times when I hear people talking about concerns talking about issues of SGBV. We keep talking about this culture of silence, but I can categorically state that the culture of silence is progressively decreasing, and I say that because we see it in the increase in reportage that we receive as an agency.”