Magistrates call on women to seek legal aid

Mrs Safiya Salihu, a Magistrate in Bauchi, has advised women in the state to open up and seek legal aid to end domestic violence.

Salihu gave the advice on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi in a reaction to the upsurge in cases of domestic violence in the country.

“We are seeing more cases of domestic violence and this is a positive development. Our women are now coming out to seek legal aid against domestic violence."

“Most cases are on women receiving beatings because of their financial status or on minor family issues that dialogue could have resolved."

“These husbands felt it was only through such actions that they could assert their control."

“However, the cases can be resolved outside of the court rooms and the husbands will not repeat the action again."

“Women should not see coming for legal aid as exposing their families as domestic violence could also affect their health and well being if they continue to conceal such challenges,” she said.

Another Magistrate, Mrs Amina Garuba, also advised women faced with domestic violence to seek legal intervention.

She said that the country’s laws were there to protect women from physical and psychological abuse and called on women in the country to take up the challenge to end such violence.

“Some women are treated brutally like animals just because they want to keep the family intact, but it is not in their best interest because it affects the psychology of someone; so speak out,” Garuba said.