Taiwo Popoola
Lagos State Government, through the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, DSVA, has revealed that no fewer than 2,213 girls suffered various forms of abuse between September 2024 and August 2025.
Executive Secretary of the agency, Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen on Saturday in Lagos.
Vivour-Adeniyi said that as the world commemorates the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child on October 11, it was crucial to reflect on the challenges girls face and strengthen measures to protect them from violence.
“Within the past year, the agency provided support services to 8,692 survivors, of which 3,629 were children. Out of these children, 60 percent were girls, representing 2,213 victims, while 40 percent were boys. These girls suffered from physical, sexual, emotional, and neglect-related abuses,” she stated.
She noted that children aged zero to nine years were particularly vulnerable to different forms of abuse, adding that the DSVA provides tailored interventions to address their physical and emotional needs.
According to her, the agency ensures that children who have witnessed or experienced violence receive psychosocial and therapeutic support, including play therapy, to help them recover and understand that abuse is not normal.
“We provide holistic support to children who have been abused, as well as those who have witnessed abuse. Through play therapy, we teach them that violence is unacceptable and that conflicts can be resolved peacefully,” Vivour-Adeniyi explained.
She added that survivors also receive medical care, counselling, and, when necessary, rescue or relocation services to ensure their safety.
“Sometimes, we have to relocate children or entire families from their environment, particularly when the abuse becomes known in the community,” she said.
Vivour-Adeniyi also revealed that some cases involve parents or guardians as the perpetrators.
“In such situations, the agency collaborates with the Ministry of Youth and Social Development to conduct investigations,” she said. “If assessments indicate that a child is unsafe at home, the agency removes the child and places them in protective custody until a safe reunion with a trusted family member is possible.”
