A Pilot Visual Project on Sexual Violence Against Women from the Global South: Insights from Nigerian Communities
Future phases will extend this study to Nigerian women in the UK diaspora, offering comparative insights into how sexual violence is experienced and navigated across both local and transnational contexts.
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The DSVR project examines Nigerian women’s experiences of sexual violence, both locally and in the diaspora. Its dual focus traces continuities and differences across contexts, showing how insights from one setting can inform policy and practice in the other.
The pilot phase in Nigeria engaged survivors, grassroots advocates and community networks, generating insights into how sexual violence is understood, challenged and resisted locally. The next phase extends this work to the UK, focusing on how Nigerian women in the diaspora navigate cultural expectations, immigration systems and help-seeking with institutions such as the police, healthcare and social services.
Through participatory visual methods, including photovoice, storytelling and survivor-led art, the project creates safe spaces for survivors by amplifying their voices as both knowledge and advocacy. As a UK-funded project, it directly strengthens frontline practice by promoting culturally responsive, intersectional support for Nigerian migrant women.
A Participatory, Co-produced Visual Project
Those most affected by gender-based violence are not simply subjects of research; they are co-producers of knowledge, often holding insights that dominant narratives overlook or erase. Without their perspectives, their stories risk being distorted, diluted or silenced altogether.
Knowledge Exchange Events with Community Members and Women’s Organisations
Knowledge exchange events serve as a space for collaborative reflection, validation of findings, and the co-creation of practical recommendations. These events are central to the participatory and co-produced ethos of the project, ensuring that survivor voices remain at the heart of both analysis and impact.
Centering the Voices of Locals
“Sometimes when a girl is raped and reports it, once she’s taken to the hospital, everybody knows. Neighbours and community people start following her, asking questions, talking about what happened. Some even laugh and make rude jokes and comments. The police do not mind or care, but I don’t like that kind of exposure.” (AB, 19 yrs)
“Some women and even parents choose not to report or disclose incidents of rape involving their daughters, because of the fear of judgment, which may affect their daughters' chances of marriage in the future”. - (MS, focus group participant)