GBV: The untold story of male survivors in Lagos

By Kevin Okunzuwa, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Behind Nigeria’s statistics on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) lies an unspoken truth: men, too, are victims—obscured by stigma, silence, and disbelief.

The 2025 International Men’s Day (IMD) was marked on Nov. 19, with the theme, “Celebrating Men and Boys”, which resonates deeply across Nigeria.

In a society where men are expected to be protectors, providers, and pillars of strength, few conversations acknowledge the emotional, psychological, and even sexual vulnerabilities they face.

While IMD celebrates positive male role models and encourages healthy lifestyles, it also brings to the forefront an uncomfortable but urgent reality: men, too, suffer gender-based violence.

In Lagos State, the statistics are beginning to reflect a growing willingness among men to break their silence.

Nigeria’s principal legislation on GBV—the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015 (VAPP Act)—provides a broad protective framework.

However, its reach is limited to states that have adopted it locally.

Lagos State has taken a more proactive approach.

In September 2021, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu signed into law the bill establishing the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) and the Sex Offenders Register.

Under the leadership of Executive Secretary, Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, DSVA coordinates end-to-end responses to domestic and sexual violence, evolving from the former DSVRT established in 2014.

In spite of the strengthened systems, public perception still largely frames GBV as a women’s issue, leaving male victims in the shadows.

At the 2025 IMD commemoration and SGBV awareness programme held in Lagos, DSVA revealed new data that upended long-held assumptions.

The agency’s Head of Community Services, Damilare Adewusi, announced that Lagos recorded 920 male GBV cases between November 2024 and November 2025.

DSVA’s broader data showed a dramatic spike: nearly 8,000 men reported GBV incidents in 2025, compared with a historical average of about 300 annually.

According to the breakdown, 437 cases are domestic violence; 75 are non-sexual GBV; 29 involved denial of resources, while with 12 been sexual harassment cases.

Others are two rape cases, a case each of attempted rape, sexual assault by penetration, and cases of reported threats to life and revenge porn.

“These figures emphasise the need for continuous advocacy.

“Statistics often portray men as perpetrators, yet men can also be victims. They must know that speaking out is acceptable.”

To mark IMD 2025, DSVA collaborated with the University of Lagos (UNILAG) on an awareness walk with the theme, “Navigating Pressure: A Man’s Well-being in Modern Lagos.”

Students, staff, and civil society groups took part, rallying around the campus to advocate for men’s health and visibility.

Vivour-Adeniyi, represented by Adewusi, noted that deep-seated societal expectations often silence male survivors.

“Men struggle to report abuse because they fear ridicule, disbelief, or appearing weak,” she said.

For some men, GBV comes in the form of emotional or psychological harm long before physical violence occurs.

One survivor, Michael Osunbor, recounted his ordeal.

“I felt like I was walking on eggshells around her; I never knew what would trigger her anger; I felt like I was losing myself in the relationship,” he said.

At UNILAG, Adedini Oluropo from the Bursary Department emphasised male emotional trauma, linking unspoken abuse to high male suicide rates.

“Men face enormous pressure, financially and emotionally.

“Domestic violence against men is underreported because society does not expect men to be victims,” he said.

Ademola Yusuf, Chairman, UNILAG Chapter, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, echoed these concerns, urging men to speak up.

“Women can also be violent; the discussion must be open if we hope to prevent abuse,” he said.

Interestingly, civil societies and NGOs have strengthened their advocacy initiatives aimed at giving male survivors a voice.

This shift reflects a growing recognition that men and boys also experience gender-based violence and must be included within the broader GBV response framework.

The Executive Director of the Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP), Mrs Bose Ironsi, called the rise in reports “encouraging”.

She told NAN that in her Ireti Resource Centre alone, 228 male survivors had sought help since 2020.

“This does not mean men experience GBV more than women.

“But it shows growing trust in the system and increased awareness. The real numbers are still much higher,” she said.

Similarly, Ms Taiwo Bello, Administrator, Cute Kids Haven Foundation, an NGO, said the 920 cases recorded by DSVA signaled a cultural shift.

“It means men are embracing the courage to speak up; still, the actual figure is likely higher,” she said.

Recognising the influence men wield within communities, WRAHP recently trained 25 male advocates to promote gender equality and combat GBV across Lagos.

“The fight against sexual violence cannot be won without men as allies.

“By equipping men with the right tools, we invest in long-term prevention,” Ironsi added.

The training addressed GBV root causes, positive masculinity, survivor-centred approaches, and Lagos state’s legal framework.

One participant, Kingsley Kalu, praised the initiative.

“Men are often left out of conversations about GBV; this training shows that men can be part of the solution,” he said.

Several experts have linked male silence to entrenched societal norms.

Rosemary Smith, Human Rights Activist, said that men who experienced GBV were often left without access to the support services they needed.

“We must recognise that men can be victims too,” she said.

A legal practitioner, Mr Sulaiman Abaya, regretted that even international conventions focused mainly on women.

“That imbalance shapes the skewed narrative,” he said.

But Vivour-Adeniyi, however, noted that patriarchy was one of the reasons men remained silent while being abused.

Mr Vincent Dania of the African Centre for Leadership said it had become urgent to address maltreatment of men.

“Lately, we have discovered a lot of violence against men; we must encourage them to break the culture of silence,” he said.

The state government’s factsheet paints SGBV as a deeply rooted challenge, shaped by demographic diversity and cultural complexity.

The report describes SGBV as: “violation of human rights, a cause of physical, emotional, and psychological harm, and a societal issue affecting all genders across age and economic lines.

According to the report, underreporting—especially among male victims—continues to obscure the full picture.

Experts, however, say that the growing number of male survivors coming forward reflects progress, not a spike in violence.

Human Rights Lawyer Edem Akpan, made a submission.

“It signals a shift away from silence, shame, and stigma.

“Silence means we condone violence; our silence is not an option,” he said.

Vivour-Adeniyi captured the message succinctly, saying “every survivor—male or female—must know that help is available, and that they will be heard.”

It remains obviously assured, loud and clear in Lagos, that the movement to support male survivors has finally begun.

Observers say, with more men stepping out of the shadows, there is hope that society will at last acknowledge the truth long hidden behind the statistics.

They say violence has no gender and neither should justice.