Beat your wife in Lagos State and go to jail – New law

There's a new Domestic Violence Law in Lagos State, and it states that if you beat your wife, you will go to Jail.

It is now an offense for any man to hit his wife.

The deputy governor of Lagos State, Hon Joke Orelope-Adefulire, said the Domestic Violence Law is made not only to protect women who are most times the target of violence in the home but also to safeguard the interest of men, children, servants, maids and everyone who may be a victim of domestic violence. 

The perpetrator would be punished irrespective of whether there's a valid contracted marriage between the victim and the person who committed the act as long as they are living together in a home setting.

In case of domestic violence this is what will happen:
1. Remove the abuser from the home pending when the abuse is corrected
2. Or remove the complainant from the residence and put in a protective home 
3. Provision of financial assistance by the state via the Office of the Public Defender/Legal Aid Council to victims of abuse who maybe financially unable to seek redress in court.

4. The court can issue warrant of arrest and remand order

Meanwhile I hope the Lagos State Government has also put in place mechanism to detect and apprehend cheats. Woman who self inflict just to get back at their erring husbands.

Adulterous men have been known to be great fathers and good providers but abusive men have never been both.

It would however be wrong to punish the former for the crime of the latter and tag same so.

I am all for the law. To protect our sisters and mothers from abusive men is a must for all.