Advocacy, enlightenment and education are being carried out in bringing to the fore the sufferings of victims of rape, defilement, domestic violence and police brutality in Nigeria.While these efforts have received both local and international attention with the setting up of gender and human rights desks in police stations. The government has also established special offences courts to assist to expiate cases of sexual abuse and related crimes. Government in some states in Nigeria like Lagos, Ekiti among others have set up a sexual offences register where perpetrators of rape and defilement‘s photos and names are published.
Investigations have shown that despite all these efforts , justice is still elusive for some victims as they further get victimized in their quest to get justice for crime committed against them; these victims should not be described as survivors, for survivors are those who have gotten justice said human rights activists in Nigeria. According to the Oxford Dictionary, a victim is (someone) singled out for cruel or unjust treatment. The victimized victims according to human rights advocates, are technically , victims who suffer further violence from their abusers, state actors like the police, the government agencies, the family, religious bodies and the society at large who so not want them to speak up, speak out and pursue justice. Such ways employed to frustrate and add more pains to the battered victims, include threat, intimidation, coercion to agree to settlement out of court, beating , assault, arraignment in court and prison custody on trump up charges.
The WHO’s 2002 World Report on violence and health put forth a definition of violence in which violence is: The intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment or deprivation’ (Krug, et.al., 2002; 4).According to Scivar (2015), psychological violence includes lies, brainwashing, other types of indoctrination, threats, and other forms that serve to reduce mental potentialities' (ibid.) and does not prioritize the influence of one form over the other. The meaning of violence was expanded and explained as a broad manifestation that might take both physical and non-physical forms and occur on both a personal and structural level. 'Violence exists when people are influenced in such a way that their actual physical and mental realizations fall short of their potential realizations' (ibid.).
A common type of violence is domestic violence and its widespread in Nigeria described as the most common and socially condoned way in which women and girls are denied their basic rights, according to a 2007 assessment by DFID, with the most major result being fear, which hinders women's social and political engagement (UNDP, 1997).Domestic violence, according to Snugg et al., is defined as "past or present physical and/or sexual violence between former or current intimate partners. Reports by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes UNODC in 2021 revealed that every 11 minutes, a woman was killed by family members in 2020. The report also stated that 81,000 women were killed globally. Some of these women have had their eyes blinded, their teeth removed, their arm broken, and businesses destroyed while others have been killed.
The definition adds that domestic violence can happen to anyone regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender”, and can take many forms, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional, economic and psychological abuse (Office of Violence Against Women, 2007).
VICTIMISED VICTIM-ISM LOOKS LIKE …..
Mrs. P had problem with one of her tenants and her tenant reported to the police. Mrs. P had alleged that when police came to arrest her , she was assaulted and dehumanized. Mrs. P has alleged that she was physically and sexually assaulted while in police custody after she was arrested. She added that she was dehumanized and her child was also assaulted by the policemen who came to arrest her. Mrs. P said she was deceived that the case would be settled amicably between her and her tenant . However, immediately she arrived the police station, she was bundled straight to court and charged by the police with malicious damage, stealing. Before Mrs. P was hurriedly arraigned in court last week, she has cried out through a petition seeking justice. Sadly, following her arraignment on seven court charges, she is no longer willing to speak out and seek justice for the crimes allegedly committed against her by police officers and others.
A human right officer has this to say ‘’There is a case of a woman where her husband removed one of her eyes. The State office where the man and the woman work, got involved in the matter and tried to stop him from being prosecuted. At the end of the day, that man has left the woman and he said he cannot live with a blind woman. Also, there is also a case of a lawyer who beat his wife up and remove four of her front teeth. The family pressured this woman and she later went to lie to the police that it was not her husband that injured her. Three Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANS) called me that I should not continue with the case and the man should not be jailed. They begged me that the case should not be reported to the media . They were all trying to save the reputation of the man and their profession not minding that the woman has been left with an enduring mark for life. Nobody sees the pain the woman is passing through but as soon as she can no longer bears it and reports to the authorities, they demonise her and she is stigmatize and due to this, the woman is no longer interesting in prosecuting her husband. She went to the police and recanted her statement against her husband ’’
‘’Such violent men can abandoned their homes after they were left off the hook are usually called by social workers and asked why they abandoned their families. The child right laws 2015 of Lagos state can be invoked and the man can be prosecuted under that law. He is called by the social workers and asked how much he can give towards the upkeep of the child or children . He cannot just walk away and leave the responsibility of the home to the woman alone. Some of them can decide to go back to the home. But the relationship between the couple is already strained and about 90 percent of such men do not go back to their homes. They just want to punish the women for reporting them to the police and trying to get justice’’ Social Worker.
A victimized victim is a defeated victim according to right groups and such victims carry scares for life which might ultimately lead to mental health issues and to suicide .Some of such victimized victims spoke why they have refused to seek justice ‘’ My husband is innocent and I want him released immediately. I has been married for twelve years with three children and have suffered years of domestic violence in the hands of my husband who beat me up over flimsy issues. When the rights group stepped in and rescued me , I refused the police from prosecuting my husband. I went to the police and told them that it was not my husband that wounded me . I told them so because my husband’s family called me and they threatened me . Also my family called me to come to the village to resolve the issue. My children also told me to go and release their father from the police custody if not they will not eat my food. So what do I do? That was why I went to lie to get him released. In short, I don’t want the police to give me justice, I leave him to God ’’.
a woman who requested anonymity said "My husband beats me at the slightest opportunity he has. This particular incident happened as a result of a young man who came to our house to fix our fan. My husband was angry that he was not at home and I allowed a young man to come into the house. He went on to probe us by saying why was the young .man sweating and I too was sweating too. He asked why the young man locked the room but the young man said the door locked by itself . He went on to tell me that I have guts to bring a man to our house to sleep with me .He started quarreling after the young man left. After going to the police to recant that my husband was not the one that beat me up and broke my hand. After ignoring the advice of the human rights advocates who helped me to get him arrested, he came back home and moved out of the house . He has gone to live with his mistress and I learnt he is planning to marry her., He said he did it to punish me for reporting him to police. I don't want justice anymore. I want him back and I will not report him to police ever again ‘’
Socio-cultural variables such as sex role socialization, political marginalization, and a lack of economic empowerment, among others, intensify gender-based violence. They place a premium on male superiority, which has been stated, emphasized, and sanctioned by a wide range of religious, cultural, and political organizations (Izuegbu, 1987). If the above is given a deeper thought, the victimized victim suffers double from violence , depression, withdrawal syndrome, low self-esteem, and are unpleasant said human rights advocates.According to Vitanza, Vogal, and Marshall, PSTD symptoms include flashbacks, intrusive images, increased startle response, nightmares, and avoidance of abuse-related situations (1995). These symptoms frequently remain a long time after the person is removed from the toxic environment. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can lead to poverty, low self esteem, mental health issue, low productivity, depression and murder and suicide (Heise et al., 1994). (Astbury, 1999; Ellsberg et al., 1999; Fikree and Bhatti, 1999), (Astbury, 1999; Ellsberg et al., 1999; Fikree and Bhatti, 1999). (Astbury, 1999; Ellsberg et al., 1999; Fikree and Bhatti, 1999).(Barnett, 2001).
In order for victims not to end up as victimized victims which further exacerbate their plight, human rights promoters, said justice for victims of crime like the ones mentioned earlier can come in varied ways like providing support for identified victims of violence and providing succour for their pain is alternative resolution method being advocated .This method is adopted by human right groups. Taking them to see a doctor, a psychologist and counselor aided a quick recovery of their plight and pain. This type of intervention is considered critical for protecting health and breaking cycles of violence from one generation to the next (WHO 2009). According to (WHO 2009), promoting gender equality to prevent violence against women demonstrates that school and community interventions can promote gender equality and prevent violence against women by addressing misconceptions and cultural norms that give men authority and control over women. School-based initiatives address gender norms and attitudes before they become deeply embedded in children and teenagers. Trials have been conducted for the Safe Dates program in the United States and the Youth Relationship Project in Canada.
Other
interventions appear promising, including those targeting youth violence and
education through entertainment (“edutainment”) aimed at reducing intimate
partner violence. (WHO 2009).Programmes aiming at
building life skills in children and adolescents have been found to reduce
aggression, violence, improve social skills, increase school accomplishment,
and improve employment chances. These consequences are more noticeable in
children from low-income households and communities. The advantages of high-
quality programs that invest in people early. (WHO 2009).The Nigeria
Police Force through its Spokesperson CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi in a recent video has called on
Nigerians to report cases of domestic
violence to the Force. CSP Adejobi ‘s
call condemning domestic violence came shortly after the demise of Nigeria
Christian musician Osinachi Nwachukwu
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