Many women and girls with disabilities face a painful reality when trying to report Gender-Based Violence.
Imagine gathering the courage to walk into a police station to report abuse.
You try to explain what happened using gestures or the way you communicate.
But instead of support, the officer asked:
“Do you have someone who can speak for you?”
For many women and girls with disabilities in Nigeria, this moment is not a story; it is a daily reality.
When survivors cannot communicate in ways the system understands, their voices are often ignored, misunderstood, or delayed. Many police stations and reporting centers still lack sign language interpreters, trained officers, and accessible communication systems.
As a result, survivors are forced to rely on others to speak for them, or worse, they give up on seeking justice entirely.
But justice should never depend on whether someone else can speak for you.
Every survivor deserves to be heard clearly, respectfully, and in ways she understands.
This means building systems that provide:
• Sign language interpretation and communication support
• Disability inclusion training for law enforcement officers
• Accessible and survivor-centered reporting pathways
• Respect, dignity, and equal access to justice
Because when systems fail to listen, survivors are silenced twice, first by violence, and then by barriers.
