By: Dr Jimmy O. Chijioke and Olufemi Abifarin
Introduction
Initially, emphasis by writers was on domestic violence against children or what is popularly known as child abuse, child labour and child trafficking but emphasis is now shifted to domestic violence against women. So much energy and resources have been dissipated on campaign against domestic violence against women globally without any concern for domestic violence against men.
However, practical experience has shown that domestic violence exists against both the men , women and children in a domestic setting or family setting. Whereas domestic violence against women is heavily documented but that of men is not but we have a few cases reported in National Dailies and Newspapers. We shall rely on these Newspapers reports in this work . The Protection Against Domestic Violence Law of Lagos State 2007 will not only be applauded as being the first of its kind in the 36 States of the Federation but will also be recommended to the National Assembly to enact into law in order to protect the residents of the Federal Capital Territory and Nigeria in general, just as the Child Rights Act has been domesticated in most States of the Federation after its enactment by the NASS. The lawmakers in Lagos State must be praised for making a law that covers Domestic Violence against both men, women and children. The Law did not discriminate against any person in a domestic setting unlike the Indian, Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence Act 2005 that protects only women. Presently, Nigeria is among the League of Nations without any specific law against Domestic Violence.