Domestic Violence and Civil Remedies Available to Victims in Enugu State: An Appraisal of the VAPP Act

Domestic violence remains a pervasive human rights crisis in Nigeria, with Enugu State in the South East geopolitical zone recording consistently high incidence rates according to recent reports by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons. This study critically appraises the civil remedies available to domestic violence victims under the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015 and the Enugu State domestication legislation, examining how effectively these remedies are utilised in practice. Employing a socio-legal methodology, the research combines analysis of 45 court records from the Enugu State High Court with structured interviews involving 60 victims, 15 legal aid officers, and 10 magistrates. Findings reveal that despite the existence of protective orders, occupation orders, and compensation provisions under the VAPP Act, a majority of victims either remain unaware of these remedies or encounter institutional barriers, including court fees, lengthy procedures, and societal stigma, that prevent access. The study also exposes inadequacies in the provision of legal aid to indigent survivors. This research argues that legislative reform must be accompanied by robust legal literacy campaigns and the mandatory training of law enforcement officials. The contribution of this work lies in providing an evidence-based assessment of the gap between law on paper and law in practice in the domestic violence context. Keywords: domestic violence, civil remedies, VAPP Act, Enugu State, victim protection