Korede Abdullah 
LAGOS, Nigeria – Lagos State has recorded 33,009 domestic and sexual violence cases between September 2021 and July 2026, with domestic violence accounting for the largest share of reported cases, the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro, SAN, has disclosed.
Pedro released the figures on Monday at a media parley marking the 2026 Domestic and Sexual Violence Awareness Month, as the Lagos State Government renewed its campaign against gender-based violence.
Of the 33,009 cases recorded during the period, 13,515 involved domestic violence, making it the most reported category. Other cases included 1,861 family-related disputes, 1,171 cases of defilement, 797 cases involving child abuse and physical assault, 428 sexual harassment cases and 420 rape cases.
The data also included 323 threats to life, 100 cases of sexual assault by penetration, 95 cases of technology-facilitated sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and 79 attempted rape cases.
Pedro said 10,613 children experienced emotional abuse as a result of exposure to violence in their homes, stressing that children could suffer serious consequences even when they were not the direct victims.
“Children did not have to be direct targets of violence to suffer its consequences,” he said.
Reported cases increased from 1,075 between September and December 2021 to 5,929 in 2022, 6,389 in 2023, 7,882 in 2024 and 7,721 in 2025. By July 2026, the state had recorded 4,013 cases.
Pedro cautioned against interpreting the decline as evidence that domestic and sexual violence was becoming less prevalent, noting that reporting behaviour, public awareness and access to support services could influence the figures.
“Nevertheless, we believe the decline is an important signal that must be examined alongside the considerable investments Lagos State has made in prevention, early intervention, community engagement and behavioural change,” he said.
The state’s response has included free legal assistance for 175 survivors, shelter for 40 survivors, psychotherapy and counselling for 953 survivors, 267 perpetrators and 304 children, as well as 501 rescue operations.
The Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) also secured 20 restraining orders, supported 464 investigations and prosecutions, charged more than 711 cases to court and secured more than 160 convictions.
Pedro said 88 per cent of reporters were female, while domestic violence accounted for 75.5 per cent of reported adult assaults. Emotional abuse represented 82.3 per cent of cases involving children.
He added that 30 per cent of women who reported abuse were pregnant when the violence occurred, while financial dependence, concerns over children and socio-cultural pressures contributed to delays in reporting.
Lagos has also expanded prevention efforts, reaching approximately 1.96 million residents through awareness campaigns and training more than 700 safeguarding officers.
The state has established DSVA sub-offices in Kosofe and Ikorodu, introduced a technology-facilitated SGBV policy and reintroduced the *6820# USSD service for reporting and support.
As part of the 2026 campaign, themed “SGBV – It Ends With Us,” Lagos will launch “Turn Lagos Purple” on September 1 and “Turn Alausa Purple” on September 2.
“Our ambition is not simply to see fewer cases appearing on our database. Our ambition is to see fewer people experiencing violence in the first place,” Pedro said.
About the Author
Hope Ajayi 
