Some residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have expressed concern over the rising spate of domestic violence in the territory, calling for government and relevant bodies’ intervention.
The residents spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Thursday in Abuja.
Ajiboye Damilola, a youth corps member and resident of Garki, said: “Only insane persons can turn a loved one into an object of violence, by either beating them or subjecting them to horrific experiences.
Damilola advised members of the public to be on alert and report to relevant authorities, neighbours who had the habit of mishandling either their spouses or children under their care.
“People must not kill themselves by staying with a violent partner, you must move out and seek help because only mentally deranged persons engage in such acts.”
According to her, victims of domestic abuse should seek help from the right quarters and speak out to persons who will help them get out of violent relationships and life threatening predicaments.
“Domestic violence comes from people close to us, we should not be scared of those we love. But when we begin to fear and distrust our supposed loved ones, we must distance ourselves from them before many get hurt,” Damilola advised.
She, however, acknowledged that many men were also victims of domestic violence, and advised them to look past their ego and seek help by also speaking up.
“Always speak out, and also open up to the right persons that will help you, make sure who you open up to someone who can help to avoid unnecessary tragedies.”
Gerald Okafor, a businessman and resident of Garki, condemned domestic violence saying; “it could lead to death or psychological damage, moreover, disagreements can be settled amicably.”
Though he said it was funny that a man could be a victim of domestic violence, he however, advised such men to quit any violent relationship peacefully, and desist from retaliation.
Mrs Patience Aguda, a legal practitioner and also a resident of Garki, Abuja, advised victims to always go for legal counseling or redress over domestic violence, if they could not quit from the relationship.
“Domestic violence is very wrong, there is no marriage in heaven, so why kill yourself when you are not ready for heaven?
“Divorce or move out; any victim of abuse should move out because any man or woman who uses such as a weapon of domination is insane,” Aguda said.
Chidinma Obi, a resident of Kado Estate, Abuja, shared her family’s experience with domestic violence.
“At a tender age, there was only silence, I saw the bruises, the injuries in my mother’s body, my mum tried many times to get away, but my dad always found her and brought her back.
“I never really knew what was happening or what to think because my mum never talked about it; but now all I can tell you is that people who abuse their partners in such a way are not sane,
“Sometimes my brother too used to hit me because he saw our dad doing it to our mum, but when our dad knew about it, he beat him, and ironically kept saying it was not right to beat women.
“When I was much younger, I almost thought it was a normal thing in other homes because I did not have friends, so I could not tell, but now I know it is definitely not normal, but savage, evil, total madness and a family destroyer,” Obi declared.
She advised victims not to be deceived and manipulated by their abusers, but to be conscious and save themselves from any form of abuse before it was too late.
