JANET, CHISOM
Across Nigeria, cases of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) continue to rise, leaving in their wake survivors whose stories are often mishandled, sensationalised, or misrepresented in the media. At a time when journalism holds the power to either deepen public understanding or perpetuate stigma, the Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP), managers of the Ireti Resource Centre, has embarked on a mission to reshape how the media approaches SGBV reporting.
Through a series of intensive two-day trainings held in Edo and Lagos States, the organisation is equipping journalists with the skills, sensitivity, and ethical grounding needed to report these issues responsibly and advocate for justice.
The trainings, held earlier in Edo and later in Lagos on the 11th and 12th of December 2025, are part of the larger initiative titled “Scaling up Access to Justice-Related Social Services for Women and Girls Survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Lagos and Edo States,” supported by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (RoLAC II).
Both sessions brought together journalists from print, broadcast, and digital media, providing a rare opportunity for in-depth engagement with experts, survivor-centred learning, and hands-on exercises that challenged many assumptions about SGBV reporting.
The venues, Edo Heritage Hotel in Benin City and Elomaz Hotel in Maryland, Lagos, became learning hubs where twenty journalists at each location exchanged ideas, confronted misconceptions, and interrogated the role of media in shaping national attitudes toward gender-based violence. For many, it was not just another professional development workshop; it was an eye-opening experience that reshaped their understanding of the power they wield in their daily work.
From the opening moments of the sessions, the Executive Director of WRAHP, Mrs. Bose Ironsi, made it clear why this training was urgent. Nigeria, she said, continues to experience an alarming spike in SGBV cases, yet the quality of reporting remains inconsistent. She noted that the media is one of the most influential tools for changing public perception, influencing policy decisions, and encouraging survivors to seek help.
However, when stories are handled carelessly, survivors can be exposed to increased risks, retraumatization, or outright public shaming. According to her, the aim of the training was not only to improve technical skills but to ignite a deeper understanding of the ethical responsibilities of journalists.
In her presentation, Ironsi began by helping participants unlearn long-held misconceptions about sex, gender, and the roots of violence. She explained that sex is biological and fixed, determined by chromosomes much like other biological traits.
Gender, however, is constructed by society and shaped by cultural expectations, norms, and traditions. These norms, she said, are the foundation upon which gender-based violence thrives norms that imply male superiority and female submission, norms that silence victims, and norms that normalize harmful practices disguised as culture.
She described how gender imbalances create the conditions for various forms of SGBV, ranging from physical and sexual violence to emotional abuse, economic deprivation, trafficking, child marriage, and even digital violence. While women and girls remain the most affected, she reminded journalists that boys, men, and persons with disabilities also experience abuse but often remain silent out of shame or the fear of not being believed.
She emphasized that SGBV is not a cultural matter or a private family issue but a fundamental human rights violation. Understanding this distinction, she said, should be the foundation of every report that journalists publish.
Ironsi also shed light on what survivors must do immediately after an assault, stressing the importance of medical examinations within recommended timeframes to collect evidence. She encouraged journalists to always include accurate referral pathways in their reports so the public can access credible support services. For many participants, this was an important reminder that their work can play a direct role in helping survivors access justice.
Day One established the ethical foundations, Day Two deepened the practical skills needed to report SGBV with sensitivity and accuracy.
Mrs. Wemimo Adewuni, the second facilitator, built on the earlier discussions by telling journalists something many had never heard so directly: journalists are not bystanders. They are strategic actors whose work has real consequences. Through their reports, she said, they can hold perpetrators accountable, push cases into the public agenda, and keep justice systems on their toes. But when stories are shallow, sensational, or inaccurate, the result is often a weakening of public trust and a reinforcement of harmful stereotypes.
Adewuni highlighted the gaps in many media reports on SGBV. Some journalists publish stories without verifying facts or fail to follow up after their first report.
Many do not understand the legal frameworks guiding SGBV prosecution. For instance, while some states have domesticated the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, others still rely on older criminal codes, leading to differences in the way cases are handled. Without proper legal knowledge, journalists risk reporting misleading information or failing to contextualise the significance of the laws involved.
She spoke extensively about the dangers of sensational reporting, a trend she said contributes to survivors’ reluctance to speak out. Excessive detail, graphic narration, or framing the story as a scandal rather than a crime can traumatize survivors and attract harmful backlash. Journalists, she warned, must resist the temptation to chase clicks at the expense of humanity. She instead encouraged them to adopt human-angle storytelling that prioritizes empathy while maintaining accuracy and depth.
Adewuni also explored the evolving power of digital media. Blogs and social media platforms, she noted, it can help spread awareness but also fuel misinformation when poorly managed.
She urged participants to make better use of simplified formats, infographics, and short videos online while ensuring that deeper, more investigative stories are published on their primary media platforms. According to her, digital influence, when used responsibly, amplifies the fight against SGBV and helps bring attention to issues that are often ignored.
One of the most enlightening segments of the training came during the ethics discussions. Facilitators reminded journalists that exposing a survivor’s identity whether through names, photographs, school names, street names, or other identifiable details can put survivors at serious risk of harm.
Even when survivors appear willing to disclose their identity, journalists must assess whether doing so could have long-term consequences. For minors, they emphasized, anonymity is not optional; it is mandatory. Participants reviewed case studies of real media reports where survivors were unintentionally exposed, leading to dangerous outcomes. Through these examples, journalists learned how a single detail can jeopardize someone’s safety.
The importance of the “Do No Harm” principle was another major theme. Facilitators encouraged journalists to evaluate their methods and ensure that interviews do not retraumatize survivors. They advised using non-leading questions, avoiding stigmatizing language, and creating safe spaces for survivors to share their stories if they choose to. They stressed that the dignity and autonomy of survivors must guide every journalistic decision.
After theoretical discussions came practical exercises. Journalists broke into groups to draft newsroom action plans aimed at improving ethical reporting standards. Some proposed creating Internal gender desks, some suggested building editorial guidelines for SGBV coverage, while others emphasized forming stronger partnerships with civil society organisations and health workers.
Participants also discussed common challenges, including uncooperative law enforcement officers, lack of access to data, limited training, and pressure from editors to prioritise trending or sensational stories. Facilitators encouraged them to remain persistent, documenting every attempt to access official information and pushing for more transparency from relevant agencies.
When the training moved to Lagos, it built on what had been achieved in Edo but with a deeper dive into the realities of reporting SGBV within Nigeria’s largest and most diverse state.
For Day two, one of the key sessions was led by Mr. Samson Onwusonye of the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme, who highlighted the sharp rise in abuse cases during the COVID-19 lockdown. He pointed out that communities like Alimosho experienced a surge in domestic violence because families were confined within small, overcrowded homes for months. Many of these cases went unreported, he said, because residents did not even recognize certain forms of abuse as crimes.
Onwusonye also pointed participants to the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) at the General Hospital in Igando, which remains a critical resource for survivors. Yet, he added, many Lagos residents are unaware of such facilities, making public awareness even more essential.
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The Lagos training further expanded on handling sensitive information, with Mrs. Ifeyinwa Omowole leading a powerful session on ethical case management. She stressed that confidentiality is non-negotiable in SGBV reporting. Journalists, she said, have no right to publish identifiable survivor information unless required by law or by verified service providers. She reminded participants that revisiting traumatic experiences can be emotionally harmful, so survivors must be approached with care, respect, and genuine concern for their well-being.
Omowole outlined the principles of survivor-centred follow-up, which include informed consent, assessment of safety risks, and protection of anonymity. She also highlighted the barriers to justice ranging from corruption and weak police responses to cultural beliefs and poor coordination among stakeholders that journalists must understand and report on. To support survivor access to justice, she urged journalists to familiarize themselves with referral pathways and organizations such as FIDA, the National Human Rights Commission, the Office of the Public Defender, the Legal Aid Council, WAPA, and several others.
She concluded by reminding reporters that excellence in SGBV reporting requires constant research, continuous learning, and a deep sense of responsibility. Accuracy, professionalism, and empathy, she said, must guide every story.
Across both states, participants reflected on the knowledge they had gained, admitting that the training cleared misconceptions they previously held. Many said they now felt better equipped to cover SGBV issues without endangering survivors or weakening justice processes. WRAHP, for its part, expressed optimism that the training would bring a positive shift in media practices across Nigeria, strengthening accountability, supporting justice delivery, and protecting survivors from harm.
The organisation, along with RoLAC, reaffirmed its commitment to expanding justice-related services for survivors, strengthening protection systems, and empowering the media. As Ironsi reminded the journalists, when the media takes SGBV reporting seriously, the ripple effects are far-reaching. Communities become more aware, survivors feel safer to seek help, and policymakers are pushed to act decisively.
In a country where the media remains a powerful agent of change, training journalists to report SGBV ethically is more than a professional gesture; it is a critical investment in justice, dignity, and humanity.