The Vivacious Development Initiative (VIDI) has issued a blistering condemnation of recent sexual assaults against women in Ozoro, Delta State, labelling the acts as “criminal” and a “national disgrace” that cannot be excused by tradition.
In a statement released Saturday from its headquarters in Abia State, the advocacy group responded to reports of women being harassed and violated in public spaces. The timing of the attacks, falling just after International Women’s Day, drew particular ire from the organisation’s leadership.
VIDI Executive Director Onyinyechi Joy Nwosu was unequivocal in rejecting claims that the incidents were rooted in local tradition or communal practices.
“VIDI firmly rejects any attempt to frame these acts as cultural or communal practices,” Nwosu stated. “No tradition should permit the violation of women’s bodies. Such narratives only serve to normalise violence and shield perpetrators from accountability.”
The organisation emphasised that framing violence as “culture” creates a dangerous environment for the next generation. Children witnessing such public dehumanisation face long-term trauma that threatens the stability of the entire community.
While some arrests have been reported, VIDI is calling for a more transparent and far-reaching legal response. The group cited several pillars of Nigerian law that strictly prohibit such behaviour, including the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act of 2015, the Criminal Code Act, and the Child Rights Act.
The organisation maintained that justice must be comprehensive and that every perpetrator, as well as any individual who enabled or failed to prevent these acts, must be held accountable under the law.
The advocacy group also challenged the notion that women should limit their movement to avoid assault. VIDI maintains that the burden of safety should not rest on potential victims but on the state and the legal systems designed to protect them.
“It must be clearly stated that women do not need to stay indoors to be safe,” the organisation noted. “The responsibility lies with perpetrators and with systems that fail to enforce the law.”
VIDI has formally called upon the Delta State Government and law enforcement to ensure the transparent prosecution of all suspects.
Furthermore, the group is demanding immediate community sensitisation programs to dismantle harmful social norms and the implementation of strengthened protection mechanisms for women and girls in both public and private spaces.
The statement concluded with a message of solidarity to the survivors, reaffirming that the safety and dignity of women remain “non-negotiable.”
