A women’s rights organisation, Women Support Women For Human Empowerment and Mentorship Initiative (WOSUWO), has raised alarm over the rising abuse and degrading treatment of women in Nigeria.
Speaking in Enugu during the weekend, the group’s Executive Director, Ambassador Onyinye Joy Mamah, said violence and unfair treatment against women have grown at a disturbing rate.
She warned that if leaders and stakeholders continue to remain silent, such acts could soon be seen as normal in society.
Mamah explained that women must lend their voices against this troubling trend, stressing that silence will only give room for abuse to thrive. According to her, inequality and the lack of recognition of women’s rights weaken the foundation of social justice.
She referred to the case of Comfort Emmerson, a passenger who was stripped naked on an Ibom Air flight, an incident that left her traumatised.
Mamah pointed out that the images and videos from that incident would remain online forever, serving as a painful reminder of the violation.
Blaming men for most of the abuses, she said she saw three men attempt to force the woman off the aircraft, describing the act as treacherous and unacceptable no matter the situation.
She also mentioned another case in Anambra State, where a female corps member was beaten and stripped by members of a local security group, Agunechemba.
Instead of offering protection, the group violated her dignity and even filmed the assault. Mamah questioned the motive behind recording such cruelty, wondering if it was a deliberate attempt to shame women or to send a message that women can be humiliated at will.
While condemning the act, she commended the Anambra State government under Governor Soludo for quickly stepping in to ensure justice. According to her, this shows commitment to protecting women’s rights.
Mamah went further to state that WOSUWO, together with Heroine Women Foundation and other women’s groups across Nigeria, will continue to speak out against abuse.
She recalled that in the past, boys were taught not to hit girls because women’s bodies were considered sacred. Sadly, she lamented, this sense of respect is disappearing today.
She also raised concerns over rising domestic violence, revealing that she often receives distressing photos from women showing injuries inflicted by their husbands.
She questioned why some men would unleash such violence on women when they could not even face their fellow men in the same way.
According to her, society must not wait until abuse becomes normalised in homes, schools, markets, churches, and workplaces.
She called on everyone to speak out and demand that women be treated with caution, care, and respect.
On the legal framework, Mamah said Nigeria already has enough laws to protect women, but poor enforcement and slow court processes deny victims justice.
She urged the judiciary to speed up cases of abuse, especially rape, and ensure justice is delivered without delay.
