Behind Closed Doors: Unmasking Domestic Violence as a National Emergency

Mercy Olajumoke Akinloye

Senior Research Fellow,

DevAfrica Institute

1. Introduction

Behind closed doors across homes and communities, a public crisis festers. Domestic violence is often seen as a private matter, but in all ramifications, it is not just private. It harms victims, traumatizes children, undermines social structures, and burdens public services. While some still frame domestic abuse as a household issue, evidence makes it clear that it is a pressing national emergency. Cultural norms that condone violence, institutional apathy, and systemic failures allow abuse to thrive unchecked. From the justice system to healthcare, the lack of coherent, coordinated, and survivor-focused responses enables cycles of violence to persist. In Nigeria, over 27,000 cases were recorded between 2020 and 2023 alone, including 1,145 deadly incidents (Ezenwa & Gani, 2025). High-profile tragedies like the death of gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu have spotlighted how societal silence and systemic inertia enable abuse. This article argues that domestic violence must be reclassified not merely as a social problem but as a national emergency requiring urgent, systemic, and sustained action.

2. Culture of Silence That Harms and Kills

Silence is not neutrality; it is complicity. In many cultural and religious settings, victims of domestic violence are expected to endure abuse to protect family honor or avoid social shame. Survivors may internalize blame, hesitate to speak out, or fear losing economic support. The result is a deadly silence that allows violence to continue, unchecked and unreported (Aidonojie et al., 2022). Patriarchal systems often validate control and punishment by male partners, while myths about intimate partner violence distort public and even professional understanding. These myths, such as beliefs that women provoke abuse or fabricate claims, are deeply rooted and dangerous (Serrano-Montilla et al., 2025). Survivors who do speak often face disbelief, victim-blaming, or retaliation. Iberi and Beecham (2025) found out that 78% of citizens view domestic violence as a private matter in Sudan. This mindset is echoed in Africa, where cultural silence emboldens perpetrators and isolates survivors. To dismantle this silence, public education must address harmful beliefs, media must amplify survivor voices, and laws must be enforced with zero tolerance for abuse, whether physical, emotional, or economic. Cultural norms cannot be used as a shield for cruelty. Silence doesn’t protect families; it destroys them.

3. Beyond the Household: Widespread Societal Damage

Domestic violence has ripple effects that fracture entire communities. Also Children raised in violent homes often suffer long-term psychological harm, affecting their behavior, education, and relationships. These children are at higher risk of becoming either victims or perpetrators of violence in adulthood, perpetuating a generational cycle (Ezenwa & Gani, 2025; Aidonojie et al., 2022). In the workplace, survivors may miss work or struggle with focus, leading to decreased productivity. Healthcare systems are strained by recurring visits for injuries, stress-related illnesses, and long-term mental health support. According to the National Human Rights Commission (2020), during COVID-19 lockdowns, cases of abuse surged, revealing how crisis situations amplify vulnerability. The economic cost of domestic violence is staggering, from policing and legal proceedings to healthcare and lost income. It also exacerbates poverty and insecurity, impeding national development. Addressing domestic violence is not just a moral imperative; it’s an economic and public health necessity.

4. Where Laws Fail: Gaps in Enforcement and Protection

Laws alone don’t save lives; effective implementation does. Many countries in Africa have legal frameworks to address domestic violence, such as the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act. Yet enforcement remains patchy and weak. Victims face bureaucratic hurdles, undertrained officers, and a legal system that often retraumatizes rather than supports (Aidonojie et al., 2022; NHRC, 2020).

Serrano-Montilla et al. (2025) found that police officers who endorse myths about abuse are less likely to intervene unless physical evidence is extreme. Emotional and psychological abuse often goes ignored. Without proper training, many officers still view domestic violence as a private issue. Addressing these gaps requires mandatory police training, better survivor protection mechanisms, and legal alternatives like judicial separation that reflect cultural sensitivities without compromising safety.

5. Communities Must Speak: From Complicity to Change

Communities often reinforce silence around abuse. Neighbors, friends, and religious leaders may discourage victims from speaking out, viewing intervention as meddling. This passive complicity emboldens abusers and isolates survivors (Notko et al., 2022). To shift this dynamic, communities must be empowered to challenge harmful norms and support victims. Public awareness campaigns can normalize speaking out and train bystanders in safe intervention strategies. Local leaders (religious, traditional, and political) must take visible stands against abuse. Grassroots groups and civil society organizations are critical allies. With proper resources, they can provide shelter, legal referrals, counseling, and education. Silence enables violence. Accountability starts at the community level.

6. Building Robust Support Systems Beyond Shelter

Shelters provide a crucial lifeline, but recovery from abuse requires more than a roof. Survivors need integrated support such as legal aid, trauma counseling, vocational training, safe housing, and child care to rebuild their lives (Ezenwa & Gani, 2025; Notko et al., 2022). However, inter-agency cooperation remains fragmented. Health and social care workers, police, and legal professionals often work in silos, resulting in gaps where survivors fall through (Notko et al., 2022). Effective support requires that professionals understand each other’s roles and communicate clearly. Survivors must be met with a continuum of care and not a checklist of disconnected services. Support must be long-term, survivor-centered, and trauma-informed.

7. Declaring a National Emergency

Treating domestic violence as a national emergency means more than rhetoric; it demands reform at every level. Governments must increase funding for survivor services, including shelter expansion, legal aid, and mental health care. Police must receive training that confronts ingrained myths and recognizes the full spectrum of abuse, including coercive control and economic violence (Serrano-Montilla et al., 2025). Training and awareness should begin at the community level and extend to institutions. Law enforcement must be held accountable, and legal reforms should offer culturally appropriate options, such as judicial separation, to protect survivors within their contexts (Aidonojie et al., 2022). Moreover, survivors must have a seat at the table. Their lived experiences must inform policy and service design to ensure that responses are effective and accessible. As the NHRC (2020) concluded, sustained activism and coordinated state action are key to dismantling the systemic barriers to justice. Domestic violence is preventable. With political will, cultural courage, and institutional reform, it can be uprooted. The time to act is now.

References

Aidonojie, P. A., Majekodunmi, T. A., Ikubanni, O. O., Oyebade, A. A., & Ibrahim, N. (2022). The causes of the rising incidence of domestic violence in Nigeria: proposing judicial separation as a panacea. Jurnal Hukum UNISSULA, 38(2). https://doi.org/10.26532/jh.v38i2.21592

Ezenwa, V. C., & Gani, A. I. (2025). The effects of gender-based violence on the well-being of Nigerian women and its implications for community development. International Journal of Social Sciences and Management Research, 11(1).

Iberi, D., & Beecham, E. (2025). Sudanese reject domestic violence but see it as a private matter. Afrobarometer Dispatch No. 947.

Notko, M., Husso, M., Piippo, S., Fagerlund, M., & Houtsonen, J. (2022). Intervening in Domestic Violence: Interprofessional Collaboration Among Social and Health Care Professionals and the Police. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 36(1), 15–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820.2021.1876645

Serrano-Montilla, C., Garrido-Macías, M., Sáez-Díaz, J., & Sáez, G. (2025). Assessing police attitudes toward intervention in gender violence: The role of training, perceived severity, and myths about intimate partner violence against women. Journal of Family Violence, 40, 299–311. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-023-00605-8

National Human Rights Commission. (2020). Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: Harmful Traditional Practices Against Women and Girls Across Nigeria. Retrieved from