Domestic violence on women should be checked- Lawyers

domestic violence

Some Lagos based lawyers have stressed the need for adequate measures to be put in place to check the spate of domestic violence in the society.

The lawyers said in Lagos on Friday that the weight of domestic violence in the society was far-reaching, and called for a proper remedy of the situation.

Mr Ogedi Ogu, who is also a social critic, said that women were worst hit as they mostly suffer cases of domestic violence.

He noted that while some women would choose to quit such marriages, others would prefer to stay and suffer in silence.

According to him, this is either due to family pressure or simply because of the children produced by the marriage.

Ogu noted that domestic violence in the society, especially against women was on the increase, adding that it must be given serious attention by the the appropriate agencies.

A constitutional lawyer and rights activist, Sir Anthony Makolo, blamed the situation on the failure of women so far battered to lodge a report on cases of violence to the appropriate channels.

He said that there were several Non-Governmental Organisations, which entertained cases of violence and urged victims to seek solace from these outlets.

Makolo also noted that a combination of factors was responsible for issues of domestic violence in the society, especially because it was mostly perceived by the society, as a family issue.

According to Makolo, this perception has forced some women to accept the situation as a part of family life, and so, they will rather prefer to keep quiet and die in silence.

He, therefore, stressed that if women developed the habit of referring cases of violence to appropriate authorities, the vice would become history.

Similarly, a social critic, Mr Spurgeon Ataene, observed that issues of domestic violence was not only common with women, adding that some men also suffer assault from their wives.

“You see, when I read news of domestic violence or wife battering, I always feel there is a sense of bias and this is because I am aware that even men also suffer domestic violence from their wives.

“Some women go the extent of keeping their husbands under lock and key without food, while some are in the habit of dealing slaps on the faces of their husbands probably because they have become bread winners of their family.

“Although the weight of such violence is more on the part of women, I still think that when we talk about the issue of violence, we must take a holistic look at it without bias,” he said

He also urged authorities to investigate cases of violence and bring same under control.