Nigeria: Expert Speaks On Law Criminalising ‘Insult’ Against Women

“They are more dangerous than physical abuse because it is difficult to recognise.”

The Executive Director of Theolight Global Foundation, a non-profit organisation, Helen Ubit, has said that it may be difficult to enforce Section 14(1) of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015 because of the unwillingness of Nigerians to file a complaint when there is a violation.

Theolight Global Foundation focuses on quality parenting and a safe environment for children, youth and women in Nigeria.

The Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, otherwise known as VAPP, is intended to check the increasing rates of gender-based violence in Nigeria.

Thirty-four states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, have domesticated the VAPP Act as of November 2022.

A state like Akwa Ibom has translated the VAPP Act into four indigenous languages besides English.

Section 14(1) of the act states, “A person who causes emotional, verbal and psychological abuse on another commits an offence and is liable on conviction to confinement for a period not exceeding one year or to a fine not exceeding N200,000 or to both such fine and confinement.”

Mrs Ubit, a member of the SGBV Coalition in Akwa Ibom State, told PREMIUM TIMES Wednesday that name-calling, insults, isolation, blackmail, threats or any action or behaviour that makes another person feel worthless are forms of gender-based violence.

“They are more dangerous than physical abuse because it is difficult to recognise,” she said.

“It can only be enforced when there are enough data obtained from reports of incidents with evidences,” she added.

“It is somehow complex to enforce laws of this kind because of the nature of our society, where people are afraid to report cases for obvious reasons.

“The way forward is continuous public awareness and advocacy to relevant agencies and stakeholders.”

‘Forced financial dependence or economic abuse’

Mrs Ubit also spoke about Section 12(1), which deals with “forced financial dependence or economic abuse”.

“In marriages, some people experience this kind of violence. For instance, the man says the wife should not work and earn her own money. There is nothing wrong if he is able to provide for her needs and that of the household, but where the woman is not in agreement, and the man is not able to provide her needs, it becomes forced financial dependence,” she said.

“In a situation whereby a spouse is working, and the other determines how the salary should be spent, or someone is hired to work while his or her salary is paid to another person without his or her consent or money is forcefully taken from a person who works for it, these are economic abuse and forms of violence against persons.”

PREMIUM TIMES asked Mrs Ubit to clarify if it is an offence under the VAPP Act for a man to prevent the wife from working or doing business.

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“Not at all, if the wife is okay with that,” she responded. “But in a situation where the woman disagrees, it becomes an offence.”

Mrs Ubit continued, “We are interfacing with cases like this day to day. It may be fine when the love is still hot, some come with the challenges of joint account.

“Personally, I do not subscribe to this (joint account). The man and woman can contribute to the upkeep and projects of the family from their proceeds without operating a joint account.”

Mrs Ubit said there is a remarkable awareness of the VAPP Act in Akwa Ibom.

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