By Olufunke Baruwa
Nigeria faces a dual crisis of violence against women and children. Alarming rates of child abuse and femicide reflect deep societal issues rooted in systemic inequality, weak law enforcement, and economic hardships. Violence, sadly, is becoming normalised rather than the exception.
According to UN Women, femicide—the killing of a woman or girl by a man due to her gender—is the most extreme manifestation of gender-based violence. In 2023, 51,100 women were killed globally by intimate partners or family members, with Africa accounting for 40% of these deaths.
Femicide in Nigeria is fuelled by harmful social norms and cultural practices. Women of all ages, social classes, ethnicities, and religions can become victims—whether at the hands of husbands, intimate partners, or strangers, such as ritualists or criminals involved in “one-chance” robberies. These acts are further compounded by victim-blaming, where society unjustly attributes the violence to the victim’s behaviour or life’s choices.
Child abuse, encompassing physical, sexual, emotional, and psychological harm, remains widespread. The World Health Organization estimates that six in ten children (400 million) under five globally experience physical punishment or psychological violence, impairing their lifelong physical and mental health at the hands of their parents or caregivers.
Incidents of severe physical punishment, including deaths resulting from flogging in schools, highlight the societal acceptance of corporal punishment. Poverty, cultural norms, childhood trauma, weak protection systems, and conflict are among the key drivers. Economic hardship pushes families to exploit children for labour or force them into early marriages, further perpetuating cycles of vulnerability.
Corporal Punishment: A Controversial Practice
Many Nigerians defend corporal punishment as a method of discipline. However, this practice often escalates into abuse, leaving long-term psychological scars. While proponents argue, “This is how we were raised, and we turned out fine,” the prevalence of unresolved trauma, low self-esteem, and short tempers in society suggests otherwise. Victims of child abuse often suffer long-term psychological trauma, poor educational outcomes, and grievous physical harm, perpetuating cycles of poverty and vulnerability.
In Lagos, a teacher was arrested following a disturbing viral video on social media which showed her slapping a three-year-old boy in class. Similarly, in Anambra, Kaduna and Ogun, students were flogged to death – these heartbreaking stories are a sad conclusion that Nigeria has a pandemic of violence against women and children.
The normalisation of corporal punishment reflects unaddressed psychological issues stemming from childhood abuse. Without access to therapy or psychological support, these traumas often manifest in harmful behaviours or mental health crises. Corporal punishment is barbaric, it no longer has a place in our society and does not necessarily instil discipline and character in children. If it did, a vast majority of Nigerians above 50 should be of excellent character but our society points otherwise.
Economic hardship forces many families to exploit children for labour or subject them to harmful practices such as child marriage while disciplinary practices that normalise corporal punishment often escalate into abuse. Limited enforcement of child rights laws and inadequate child welfare services leave children vulnerable and in conflict zones, children face heightened risks of abduction, recruitment into armed groups, and exploitation.
Although Nigeria has ratified international conventions like the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), enforcement remains weak. Support systems such as shelters, counselling, and rehabilitation programs are scarce and underfunded. Efforts to address violence often face resistance due to deeply ingrained societal norms that prioritise tradition over reform.
The Crisis of Femicide
Femicide in Nigeria is driven by patriarchy, impunity, economic dependence, and harmful cultural and religious beliefs. Deeply entrenched gender norms render women subordinate, increasing their vulnerability to violence. Perpetrators often escape justice due to inadequate investigations and societal acceptance of violence.
Deep-seated gender norms often render women and girls subordinate, increasing their vulnerability to violence and perpetrators of femicide frequently escape justice due to inadequate investigations and societal acceptance of violence. Many women are financially reliant on abusive partners or family members which can trap women in dangerous situations while practices such as widowhood rituals and harmful stereotypes contribute to violence against women.
The consequences of femicide extend beyond individual victims, affecting families, communities, and societal stability. The loss of women’s contributions to society further entrenches inequality. Public reactions to femicide cases often involve victim-blaming, with accusations of promiscuity or disobedience used to justify the violence. This culture of shaming is even more deleterious, perpetuates impunity and further endangers women.
Recent cases in Nigeria underscore the brutality of femicide: a 24-year-old woman decapitated by an acquaintance in Abuja, a wheelchair-bound 74-year-old elderly woman burned to death in Anambra, a middle-aged wife set on fire by her husband over unfounded infidelity accusations and another young woman dismembered by twin brothers in Ogun. The situation is no different in Kenya where a man was found with the dismembered body of his 19-year-old wife. These stories reveal the pervasive violence against women that transcends age, social class, and geography.
Once a woman is killed by her intimate partner or a total stranger, the first public reaction and first line of defence by the perpetrator is that she is promiscuous, disobedient or unfaithful. These statements are often a cheap escape route to elicit sympathy from the public to justify the gruesome act.
Breaking the Cycle of Violence
To stem this tide of violence, Nigeria must adopt a multi-pronged approach. First by strengthening legal frameworks to ensure robust enforcement of existing laws and enact comprehensive legislation. Secondly, we must urgently and collectively raise awareness through advocacy and sensitisation campaigns to shift cultural norms, encourage healthy discipline, promote gender equality and positive masculinity.
Then, enhance support services by investing in accessible, well-funded support systems and empower women and children by providing economic opportunities and education to reduce dependency and increase agency. Lastly, continuous education and awareness to shift negative social norms as well as working closely with faith and culture leaders to challenge harmful practices and promote accountability.
For parents and guardians, what are the alternatives to corporal punishment? Healthy forms of discipline include setting clear boundaries, praising and incentivizing positive behaviour, explaining consequences calmly, redirecting unwanted behaviour, giving choices where appropriate, using time-outs when necessary, leading by example, and actively listening to the child’s perspective, all while focusing on teaching and guiding rather than punishing can foster obedience and mutual respect. Corporal punishment, shaming, and excessive anger harm children’s development and self-esteem. A focus on teaching and guidance, rather than punishment, can nurture well-rounded individuals.
To address femicide, a bouquet of comprehensive prevention efforts focusing on education and changing harmful social norms, robust legal frameworks with effective enforcement, strong support systems for survivors, empowering women economically and socially, engaging men and boys in prevention, robust data collection and analysis to understand the issue, and addressing the root causes of gender inequality across sectors like healthcare, education, and employment to achieve systemic change.
Addressing child abuse and femicide requires collective action from the government, civil society, and communities. By tackling root causes and fostering an environment of accountability and support, Nigeria can work towards breaking the cycle of violence and creating a safer future for all especially its most vulnerable.
