Types, Prevalence And Causes Of Domestic Violence Among Selected Couples

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Domestic abuse is a problem that is entrenched in many societies across the globe and Nigeria is not an exception. Research in this area such as the one done by Ezeh, & Gage, (1998) has shown that this type of violence has traumatised many Nigerian couples. Domestic violence remains a persistent problem because of the power and control held by the abuser; the fear, intimidation and humiliation suffered by the victim of this crime (Dutton, 1995).

The oldest and most prevalent institution in the world today is the marriage institution. In all cultures, there is a particular sanctity attached to this institution, so much that it is particularly considered to be a building block of any society. The pivotal position of marriage has made domestic violence a subject of interest to various disciplines, government, religious sects and professional associations (Arldine, 1994).

American Psychological Association (APA) (1996) defined domestic violence as a pattern of abusive behaviour including a wide range of physical, sexual, and psychological maltreatment used by a person in an intimate relationship against another to gain power unfairly or to maintain the misuse of power, control and authority.

The role of spouse in family relationship is significant, such that some people have acclaimed it to be a surviving family adjustment. However, this role has its own problems. Some spouses have been found to be abused in various forms, ranging from sexual to financial abuse and communicative abuse. All these have implication on family relationship (Adams, 1988)

Domestic violence occurs in traditional heterosexual marriages, as well as in some sexual partnership. The abuse may occur during a relationship  or after the relationship has ended. The key elements of domestic violence are: intimidation, humiliation and physical injury. Going by the definition of domestic violence, couples engage in it to control the other partner and keep him/her from departing or quitting the relationship.  A critical look at the definition of domestic violence will reveal that they assume the dimension of portraying women as the victims bearing the brunt, while men are seen as perpetrators (Adams, 1988).

This could be as a result of the widely held beliefs that women are the weaker sex while men are by right, the head of the family that must be obeyed. Nigeria as a country has her own fair share of domestic violence, which could be seen in the rate of divorce, separation and marital dishonesty in the country.

According to Adebirigbe, (2004) in his study on wife beating in western Nigeria, it was found that 32% of women indicated that they have experienced abuse, 21% believe strongly that wives should be beaten while 72% believe that wives should be beaten once in a while.

Berkowitz, (1989) identified marital conflict to exist along a particular continuum which are:

1. Occasional verbal quarrels

2. Frequent verbal quarrels

3. Occasional physiological quarrel

4. Frequent physical quarrel

5. Psychological separation

6.  Physical separation

7. Divorce

A close look at this shows that a particular couple is expected to go through the whole stages, but it is not necessarily so in all situations. Some couples get to the divorce stage without going through physical quarrels and physical separation, while some resolve the conflict completely before it gets to divorce stage (Brownmiller, 1976).

Researchers such Chukwuma, (2002), indicated domestic violence, through prevalent in Nigeria is still largely under reported, if reported at all. The causes of domestic violence can be seen in two broad categories. The traditional causes such as culture, ethnicity and religion are those factors that are commonly seen and discussed as leading to fighting among couples. They are immediate causes that can be pin pointed as leading to violence in the home. These include, among others, sex role, sexual dissatisfaction and infidelity, ego massage, income disparity, religion differences, alcohol consumption, money matters, childlessness, influence of inlaws etc (Chukwuma, 2002).

Secondly, contemporary causes of domestic violence are those underlying remote factors such as frequent verbal quarrels, occasional physiological quarrel, frequent physical quarrel and psychological separation that are not easily seen or implicated, yet they influence violence behaviour in marital relationship. Domestic violence has now become a common phenomenon. It should be noted here that as husbands abuse their wives so also wives abuse their husbands (Steinmetz, 1997). It is only the degree that varies. The question then is how well has domestic violence or abuse been able to achieve its end? Has domestic violence solve the problems of family discord, divorce, separation etc experienced today?

Base on the above picture, the study is to determine the influence domestic violence on family relationship among couple in Musin Local Government Area of Lagos State.

1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

It has been found that various forms of domestic violence exist in some family relationship and has degenerated into various marital problems among which are child negligence, communication gaps, destruction of property, divorce, separation and ultimately death (Chukwuma, 2002).

Many marriages today, have failed unmendably due to domestic violence. For instance, many couples, especially the men folks, have resorted to settling scores with their wives through aggressive actions such as beating and fighting on any slightest provocation. In some families, love has flown away, and has been replaced by spousal hate and aggression. For instance, in many couples’ homes, occasional verbal quarrels, frequent verbal quarrels, occasional physiological quarrels, frequent physical quarrels, psychological quarrels and separation which in any case, lead to physical separation and total divorce, have resigned supreme. No wonder in our customary and conventional courts today, there are cases of divorce occasioned by domestic violence or aggression among spouses (Davis, & Lee, 1996).

Based on the above picture, this study is therefore meant to determine the prevalence, types and causes of domestic violence among couples in Mushin Local Government Area of Lagos State.