The Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act was signed into law in Nigeria in 2015. Before this legislation, victims of domestic and gender-based violence relied heavily on the existing Penal Code or Criminal Code, which largely overlooked marital rape, harmful traditional practices, and psychological abuse. Civil society organizations, women's rights advocates, and legal experts campaigned for over a decade to establish a comprehensive legal framework that addresses all forms of violence, particularly against women and children. Although initially passed for the Federal Capital Territory, the law requires adoption by individual state houses of assembly to become fully operational across the country's federation.
The primary aim of the VAPP Act is to eliminate violence in private and public life, protect victims, and punish offenders effectively. Its scope extends beyond physical assaults to encompass emotional, psychological, domestic, and socio-economic harms. By focusing heavily on prevention, the law mandates government agencies and healthcare institutions to create awareness and support structures. It also seeks to eliminate harmful cultural practices that violate the fundamental human rights of vulnerable individuals, especially women and young girls in Nigerian communities.
Under the VAPP Act, offenses are clearly defined to remove ambiguity during legal proceedings. The law categorizes harmful acts into distinct groups:
Non-physical abuses often leave invisible scars that are just as debilitating as physical wounds. The VAPP Act criminalizes willful damage to property, intimidation, stalking, and verbal abuse that strips an individual of their dignity. Spousal battery and constant emotional torment are actionable offenses under this law. Law enforcement officers and healthcare providers must recognize that a patient presenting with anxiety, depression, or unexplained chronic pain may be enduring psychological or domestic violence.
Sexual violence provisions within the VAPP Act cover rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, and forced financial or marital coercion. Notably, the act explicitly recognizes marital rape, which previous penal codes omitted. Furthermore, the legislation prohibits harmful traditional practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM), forced isolation of widows, harmful widowhood rites, and forced child marriages. These practices are penalized heavily to protect women and girls from entrenched cultural injustices.
The VAPP Act places strong emphasis on safeguarding the rights of victims during and after legal proceedings. Survivors are entitled to medical care, legal aid, and temporary shelter in safe houses. Law enforcement agencies must treat victims with utmost respect, ensuring privacy and confidentiality to prevent stigmatization. Courts can also issue protection orders that legally prevent the abuser from coming near the victim, their workplace, or their children.
Offenses under the VAPP Act carry stringent penalties, ranging from substantial financial fines to long-term imprisonment depending on the severity of the crime. For instance, aggravated rape or offenses resulting in permanent disability attract severe prison sentences without the option of a fine in many jurisdictions. The law empowers police officers, specialized government agencies like the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), and the judiciary to ensure swift enforcement and prosecution of offenders.
Nurses are frequently the first professional point of contact for survivors of violence seeking medical attention. Clinical responsibilities include conducting thorough physical assessments, documenting injuries accurately with photographs and descriptive notes, and preserving forensic evidence if sexual assault is suspected. Beyond clinical care, nurses must maintain a non-judgmental attitude, offer psychological first aid, and connect patients to social workers, legal aid, and shelter services. Accurate record-keeping is vital because medical reports serve as critical legal evidence in court proceedings.