The Ogun State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development says the state recorded 502 cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) between January and November.

Mrs Adijat Adeleye, the Commissioner, disclosed this during an advocacy walk held in commemoration of the 2025 16-Day of Activism against Gender-Based Violence in Abeokuta on Tuesday.

Adeleye described the figure as alarming and indicative of a deepening crisis affecting women, girls, and vulnerable persons.

She said that the rise in sexual assault, domestic abuse, child molestation, digital harassment and intimate partner violence, underscored the urgent need for stronger legal safeguards and coordinated institutional action from all stakeholders.

She said that it also reflected the persistence of violence and the growing willingness of survivors to seek help due to improved reporting systems.

The commissioner said that of the 502 cases, 120 were reported at the State’s Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs), while the remaining cases were documented through area offices and partner organisations.

She described the figures as “deeply troubling.”

She said that the ministry captured only the cases that reached government channels, adding that many women and children remain silent out of fear, stigma, or social pressure.

Adeleye noted that the spike in digital-related abuses, including cyber bullying, online harassment, sextortion and impersonation, was emerging as a major concern for the state in the digital age.

Speaking on the year’s theme, “Unite to End Digital Violence against Women and Girls”, Adeleye warned that technology had created a new frontier for abuse, allowing perpetrators to target victims remotely and anonymously.

“The growing digital exposure of young people has left many vulnerable to online grooming, extortion and emotional manipulation.

“There are several interventions of the present administration through the ministry in partnership with the State Economic Transformation Project and United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA), to strengthen the Sexual Assaults Referrals Centres (SARCs),” she said.

She said that the ministry expanded state-wide sensitisation programmes in both rural and urban communities, engaging traditional institutions, religious bodies and schools to dismantle cultural practices that normalise violence.

The commissioner identified major institutional challenges undermining progress to include slow judicial processes, family interference and weak inter-agency coordination.

She advocated for bold legal reforms to support survivors, safe termination options for rape and incest survivors and the formal classification of rape as a non-bailable offence.

She urged parents, teachers, digital platforms and community leaders to take greater responsibility in safeguarding children and addressing online risks.

Earlier, the wife of the governor, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun and the Deputy Governor, Noimot Salako-Oyedele expressed the commitment of the government to put in measures aimed at reducing GBV cases in the state.