An Urgent Need to Extend the Frontiers of the Legal Regime on Gender-Based Sexual Violence Against Women in Nigeria

Abstract

The rate of gender based violence against women is ostensibly and palpably on the continuous rise in the African hemisphere and indeed in Nigeria. International studies reveal that approximately 20% of women and 5–10% of men report being victims of sexual violence as children, hence, violence among young people, including dating violence, is also a major problem. GBV includes intimate partner violence, non-part-ner sexual assault, female genital mutilation, sexual exploitation and abuse, child abuse, female infanti¬cide, and child marriage. Such violence perpetuates injustice against an important segment of society and regresses the proper development of humanity in Nigeria. This article deftly and subtly examines the legal framework of gender-based sexual violence against Women in Nigeria. The paper undertakes an analysis of the various criminal laws applied in respect of the subject matter in Nigeria. The paper discovers the several premises from which huge systemic changes can be effected on the VAPPA which is a contemporary legislation especially in the enforcement of punitive provisions of the said legislations. The paper therefore calls for an appraisal of some of the anachronistic legislation as they are largely inactive and do not serve as an effective deterrent against perverse predators in the society.