Domestic Violence Against Women and the Role of Ministry of Women Affairs in Nigeria. (a Case Study of Domestic Violence Recorded in Lagos State Between 2017-2020)

Abstract of Domestic Violence Against Women and the Role of Ministry of Women Affairs in Nigeria. (a Case Study of Domestic Violence Recorded in Lagos State Between 2017-2020)

This study examined domestic violence against women and the role of Ministry of Women Affairs in Nigeria. In Nigeria, as is the case of most third world countries, domestic violence against women has is culturally sanctioned such that the dichotomous relationship between male and female gender is seen as a norm. Females usually are often victims of this form of violence. Domestic violence includes physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional and verbal abuse between people who have at sometime had an intimate or family relationship.

The research objectives were to; examine the effect of domestic violence against women in Lagos State; find out the factors associated with domestic violence against women in Lagos State; assess the risks associated with domestic violence against women in Lagos State; identify if there are any legal approaches on domestic violence against women in Lagos State; and investigate the role of the Ministry of Women Affairs in the fight against domestic violence on women in Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole. This research work made use of qualitative source of data, through which data were gathered using journals, reports, articles, newspapers, treaties, textbooks and various statutes which would be obtained from online sources.

Findings showed that, domestic violence has significantly effect on children who are exposed to domestic abuse during their upbringing will suffer in their development and psychological welfare. Also, domestic violence have physical effect on the victims such as bruises, broken bones, head injuries, lacerations and internal bleeding. In addition, it was revealed that, Prohibition of Domestic Violence Act 2007, Child Rights Act 2003, 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Criminal Code are the identified legal approaches on domestic violence against women in Lagos State. The study revealed Ministry of Women Affairs have initiated the establishment of gender desks at all the police stations in the country.

The study recommends that, in order to cushion domestic violence against women, there is need for constant public education and enlightenment with the aim of raising awareness among Nigerian populace. Also, the Ministry of Women Affairs should create counselling units across various communities and as well as the local government levels in order to counsel and assist victims of domestic violence in the Nigerian society. Lastly, policy makers should formulate laws that will ensure that perpetuators of domestic violence against women face the law accordingly, as this will help reduce the menace in the society.

 

Chapter One of Domestic Violence Against Women and the Role of Ministry of Women Affairs in Nigeria. (a Case Study of Domestic Violence Recorded in Lagos State Between 2017-2020)

Background to the Study

Violence is prevalent in human society. Of special interest is the violence perpetrated against women in devious dimensions and diverse measures across the globe experienced in “developed” and “developing” countries alike, (Choji & Agbo, 2014). Gender violence is replete in the everyday communications entered into by both male and female gender. The female gender are often at a disadvantaged end visa-vis their male counterparts who are structurally “favoured” by inbuilt stratification mechanisms in most societies, most particularly atheist societies with asexual formations. Enduring cultural orientations embedded in the ideology of patriarchy make men superior to women, (Akanle, 2016). This contradiction in itself engenders violent relationship in which women are subjugated by men. The social construction of gender emphasizes male domination or masculinity in patriarchal societies to which most societies originally belong especially in the context of Nigeria. This archetype explains the socialization process that pitches female gender at a receiving end right from girlhood down to womanhood, (Ellsberg & Heise, 2015).

Domestic violence is a form of violence that occurs in a situation of intimate or family relationship. Females usually are often victims of this form of violence. Domestic violence can therefore be defined as physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional and verbal abuse between people who have at sometime had an intimate or family relationship, (Joda, Zubairu, Abdulwaheed, & Abara, 2014). What constitutes physical, sexual, emotional and verbal abuses against women often times would be influenced by the socio-cultural norms of a particular society. The question arises of whether; ‘Marrying a woman exclusively as a house wife and preventing her from any form of vocation outside the domestic responsibilities even if the woman in question has the necessary skills and qualifications as often occurred in various ethnic groups in Nigeria constitutes domestic violence or not?’. Just as some controversies would be raised on the definition of domestic violence as related to cultural practices of different societies, gender based domestic violence against women is often maintained or perpetrated by unhealthy societal and cultural practices.

As earlier highlighted, domestic violence against women could include physical violence, sexual violence, emotional and verbal abuses: 1. Physical violence based on WHO study (WHO, 2015), definition include the women being; slapped or thrown something at that could hurt her; pushed or shoved; hit with a fist or something else that could hurt; kicked, dragged or beaten up; choked or burnt on purpose; and threatened with or actually used a gun, knife or other weapon against her. 2. Sexual violence as defined based on WHO study (WHO, 2015) include; being physically forced to have sexual intercourse against her will; having sexual intercourse because she was afraid of what her partner might do; and, being forced to do something sexual she found degrading or humiliating. 3. The acts of emotional and verbal abuse could include; being insulted or made feel bad about oneself; being humiliated or belittled in front of others; being intimidated or scared on purpose (e.g. by a partner yelling and smashing things); and being threatened with harm among others.

Women are fundamental to the growth and development of any country and the world in general. In today’s world population, women represent half of the population and they are perceived to be homemakers, custodians of social, cultural and fundamental values of the society and permanent change is often best accomplished through women, (Alokan, 2013). Full community development isn’t possible without their understanding, cooperation and effect participation. Bearing in mind the value of women as mother, sometimes breadwinners, teachers and guardians, they deserve respect, recognition and better treatment but the opposite is usually the case, (WHO, 2015)

Domestic violence against women in Nigerian society is seen as the fabric of the society to a point that many women who are victimized feel that they are at fault, (Attoh, 2013; Otite and Ogionwo, 2011). Many of those individuals who perform domestic violence feel defensible by strong public messages which say that rape, battering, sexual harassment, child abuse, and other kinds of violence are acceptable, (Agbo & Choji, 2014). On daily basis, we see images of male violence against women in the news, on TV shows, in the movies, in advertising, and in our homes and workplaces. It is a fact of life that, woman of all ages, races and classes are faced with. Domestic violence is a regular part of most women’s experience in Nigeria, especially at home, (Oladeji 2013).

According to Davies, (2016), women are enslaved in a circle of poverty and they suffer from neglect, discrimination, and exploitation. They are as well subjected to various sorts of violence by their male counterparts. Some historians are of the believe that the history of violence against women is tied to the history of women being viewed as property and a gender role assigned to be subservient to men and as well other women, (Harvey & Gow, 2014). The United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women (2013) states that, violence against women is a demonstration of past unequal power relations between men and women, which have resulted to supremacy over and discrimination by men towards women and to the prevention of the complete advancement of women and that violence against women is one of the vital social tools through which women are compelled into a subordinate position compared with men.

Women are more prone to be victimized by a person that they are intimate with, commonly called Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). The effect of violence in the sphere of total violence against women can be understood through the example that 40-70% murders of women are committed by their husbands or boyfriends, (World Health Organization, 2015). Studies have revealed that, violence isn’t always perpetrated as a form of physical violence but can as well be psychological and verbal, (Pourreza, Batebi & Moussavi, 2014). Instances of Intimate Partner Violence tend not to be reported to police and thus many experts believe that the true magnitude of the problem is hard to estimate, (Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, 2013).

In Nigeria, as is the case of most third world countries, domestic violence against women has is culturally sanctioned such that the dichotomous relationship between male and female gender is seen as a norm, (Oladeji, 2013). The fast social change occasioned by globalization in the country hasn’t decimated this unequal relationship. It has only led to other forms of gender violence whereby women experience some forms of double domination, that is, domestic and occupational violence, (Oyediran, & Isiugo-Abanihe, 2015). As women turn to co-bread winners, as against sole-bread winner abinitio, in the family women now find themselves in increasing contentions over access to certain values, privileges and other economic resources, (Oladapo, Yusuf, & Arulogun, 2017). It is fast becoming imperative to revisit the existing law that guarantee the dignity of women as bonafide members of the society considering the international conventions accentuated to by United Nation, a comity of nations to which Nigeria belongs. It is worthy of note that domestic violence isn’t attributable to cases involving women gender alone, as there is no category of individuals that cannot be subjected to domestic violence. However, domestic violence against females is prevailing simply because they are perceived as the weaker sex and second to the husband at home. Therefore, it is on this backdrop that this study will examine domestic violence against women and the role of Ministry of Women’s Affair in the fight against it.