The European Union (EU), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) intensified efforts to improve the reporting of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Nigeria through the establishment of a dedicated SGBV Media Corps.
The initiative, under the EU Support to End Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (ESGBV) Programme, was implemented with selected journalists in Oyo State undergoing a two-day capacity-building workshop to promote ethical, accurate, survivor-centred and action-oriented reporting.
The organisers said the proposed Media Corps would help move SGBV reporting away from sensationalism and fragmented coverage, improve public awareness of reporting channels and support services, strengthen implementation of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP Act) and promote accountability through investigative journalism.
Declaring the training open, NAPTIP Director-General, Binta Lami Adamu Bello, whose address was delivered by the agency’s Director of Media and Publicity, Vincent Adekoye, described the initiative as timely and stressed that the media remained a critical partner in the fight against SGBV.
Bello commended journalists for supporting NAPTIP through investigative reporting, public education and efforts to expose hidden abuses.
She said the media is “not merely a channel for information,” but a partner in protection, prevention and justice, noting that responsible reporting had helped amplify survivors’ voices and influence public opinion and policy responses.
According to her, SGBV remains one of the most pervasive human rights violations in Nigeria, affecting women, girls, boys and men across different ages, social classes and geographical locations.
She noted that the actual scale of SGBV is likely higher than available statistics indicated because many survivors still failed to report cases due to fear, stigma, lack of trust and economic dependence on perpetrators.
Bello said Oyo State faced cases ranging from sexual assault and intimate partner violence to trafficking for sexual exploitation. She added that increased internet access and social media use had created new opportunities as well as vulnerabilities in the fight against SGBV.
She identified non-consensual sharing of intimate images, sextortion, cyberstalking, grooming of minors, deepfakes used for humiliation and blackmail, and coordinated online harassment as emerging forms of technology-facilitated gender-based violence.
She stressed that ending SGBV required coordinated action among government agencies, law enforcement, health and social services, educational institutions, civil society organisations, technology platforms and the media.
She urged journalists to report SGBV cases without sensationalising incidents or retraumatising survivors while holding perpetrators and institutions accountable.
She also urged them to obtain informed consent, protect survivors’ identities where necessary, avoid victim-blaming language and ensure that their reports did not compromise investigations or survivors’ safety.
“Responsible reporting should help raise awareness of available support services and challenge harmful narratives that perpetuate stigma,” she said.
Bello noted that the SGBV Media Corps will create a network of media practitioners equipped to report cases accurately, ethically and from a survivor-centred perspective.
The Media Lead Facilitator and Resource Person, Toyin Adewale Gabriel, highlighted gaps in access to justice and support services in Oyo State.
Gabriel said the state had only one Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), the Abiyamo Centre in Ibadan, limiting access to specialised support, particularly for survivors in rural communities.
She added that inadequate staffing and funding also affected the centre’s operations.
Gabriel disclosed that the Oyo State Rapid Response Team on Gender-Based Violence had recorded 692 reported cases involving abandonment, defilement, rape, rescued persons, child labour and intimate partner violence.
She said 418 of the cases involved persons aged between zero and 17 years, with most of the reported incidents occurring in rural communities.
Gabriel called for stronger collaboration with traditional and community leaders to improve sensitisation and urged journalists to give greater attention to SGBV cases.
She said the media should use its platforms to expose perpetrators, educate the public, promote survivor support and demand accountability from institutions responsible for justice and protection.
The training was facilitated by Gabriel and Wynyfred Achu-Egbuson, Civil Society and Community Mobilisation Specialist, ESGBV Programme, International IDEA.
