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By F. A Badru, RN, RPN, MNIM, Ph.D.
Introduction
Worldwide, one of the most common forms of abuses directed at women is physical violence by their husbands or other intimate male partners [1, 2, 3]. Although, women can also be violent, men perpetrate the vast majority of partner abuse against their female partners [4]. It is referred to by many names: Wife-battering, Wife-beating and Intimate- Partner Abuse, among others [5,6].
Wife-Battering
Wife battering is considered a gender-based abuse and is a subset of domestic violence. Domestic violence encompasses all acts of violence against women within the context of family or intimate relationships. It is an issue of increasing concern because it has manifest and unintended consequences on family members. It tends to erode the basis of social order and has consequences for sexual health and rights of the victims. The act is a complex and multi-dimensional issue. The increasing incidence of acid attacks has been reported and condemned [7]. Wife assault is rarely a one-time occurrence. Each assault increases the likelihood that another violent incident will occur.
Many cultures condone physical chastisement of women as a husband's marital prerogative, limiting the range of behaviours they consider as abuse. Some statutes condone wife-assault. For instance, Section 56 of the Penal Code in Nigeria supports wife- beating. Women are reluctant to report acts of abuse out of shame, or out of fear of incriminating other family members. All these factors point to under-estimation of the problem in the society [4].
Research Challenges
Accurate information on the extent of domestic violence is difficult to obtain because of extensive under-reporting. Heise [4] contends that in nearly 50 population-based surveys from around the world, 10% to over 50% of women reported being hit or physically harmed by an intimate male partner at some point in their lives. 'Violence Against Women' was one of the twelve 'critical' areas of concern highlighted by the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing (1995). This was one of the areas earlier stressed by the "Nairobi Forward Looking Strategies" in Kenya with the adoption by the General Assembly of the United Nations of Resolution 40/36 of November 29, 1985 on domestic violence [6].
A lot has been written about wife- battering. The few local studies [8, 9, 10] are not only based on small sample sizes but also relied on secondary data and case studies. The scholars addressed the phenomenon using weak methodologies. The theories were reductionistic, not empirically tested and flew at the eyes of social reality. They also left many questions unanswered. Besides, the experiences of the victims were not fully explored by the methods of enquiry of these researchers. None of the local studies adopted the conventional 'Conflict Tactics Scale' (CTS) to operationalise the intra family conflict.
These gaps in knowledge and methodology form the fulcrum of my own research.
Research Objectives:
Specifically, the study:
- Investigates the socio-economic determinants of wife-battering in three Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the Lagos metropolis.
- Documents the factors at play in the Lagos metropolis and delineates these in comparison to those in advanced industrial societies.
- Examines patterns of wife-battering among the major ethnic groups in the Lagos metropolis.
- Explores the reasons why battered women remain in such abusive relationships.
Significance of Study
The research is an empirical investigation into the extent, pattern, and socio-economic factors associated with wife-battering in the Lagos metropolis. The unique feature of this research is that it is not only original but also draws from eclectic insights of many disciplines. Thus, readers and scholars with interests in sexuality, family, gender, health and illness relations, crime and delinquency, among others, will find the data useful.
Our propositions include the following:
- Husbands who drink alcohol frequently are more likely to assault their wives;
- Men who have been retrenched [lost their jobs] are more likely to beat their spouses;
- Men who have psychotic mental disorders are more likely to abuse their wives;
- Men who marry more than one wife are more likely to beat one or more of their wives.
Theoretical Issues
The theoretical underpinnings for this study of wife-battering are: the bio-psycho-medical model and the sociological paradigm. The first model emphasizes factors in individual social actors that perpetrate or suffer from the violence. This model shelters alcoholism, mental illness, and poor self-control. The contention of bio-psycho-medical model is that the perpetrator or the victim has inherent or acquired physical or mental disorder or is a deviant. The disorder or deviance impels him to violate his spouse. The approach ignores the influence of environment or the effect of socialisation [6]. In sociology, 'Violence is a learnt behaviour and not an innate or genetic act'.
The second paradigm encapsulates viewpoints that explain wife-battering in socio-psychological terms (person-environment interface) and in terms of social, cultural, economic, legal and political factors. This paradigm finds the aetiology of wife assault in stress, frustration and blocked goals, often resulting from unemployment or poverty [6].
Methodology
The survey was executed through a multi-stage sampling method with a validated 77- item structured interview schedule which was used to collect data from 450 ever married men and women aged between 15-50 years. A pilot study had earlier been done to fine-tune the instrument for the main study. Findings
The incidence of wife-battering tends to occur more, early in marriage. 35% of the respondents claimed to have beaten their wives, 41% of the female respondents admitted to have suffered assault associated with alcohol. The study revealed that polygynous marriages are more prone to conflict and some women who have attained higher educational qualifications were beaten more than those who had no education or who had secondary education. 19% of the respondents had attack of acid bath.
Recommendations
It is suggested that the strangulating economic downturn of the country should be looked into. The unending hike in the price of gasoline is worsening the living conditions of Nigerians and the poverty rate is on the increase. As a result of these factors, the purchasing power of Lagosians is taking a nosedive. The average breadwinner is finding it tough to cope with the challenges of providing for the family. If the basic social institution - the family is not saved by social reengineering, the society may be doomed. Couples should be more tolerant of each other and spousal communication should be optimised.
References
1. Fagan, J.A. & Browne, A. (1990): Marital Violence: Physical Aggression Between Women and Men in Intimate Relationships (Washington, E.C: National Academy of Sciences).
2. Duhon, H., Govendolyn,M., Sells, D., and Marie, R, (1991): Domestic Violence:
Its Past, Causes, Effects and Its Implications for Society (Louisiana: EDRS Press).
3. Dobash, R.P., Dobsh, R. E., Daly, M. & Wilson, M. (1992): "The Myth of Sexual Symmetry in Marital
Violence." Social Problems, 39:71-91.
4. Heise, L. (1999) : "Violence Against Women: The Hidden Health
Burden" In World Health Statistics Quarterly, 46:No. 3:
83-89.
5. Dobash, R.E. and Dobash, R.P (1998): " Violence Against Wives" (New York: Free Press).
6. Badru, F. A (2004): " Socio-economic Determinants and Patterns of Wife-battering in the Lagos Metropolis" Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, University of Lagos, Akoka, Nigeria.
7. Effah-Chukwuma, J and Osarenren, N (2001): " Beyond Boundaries: Violence Against Women in Nigeria." (Ikeja: Project Alert On Violence Against women)
8. Omorodion, F.I. (1992) : "The Social Context of Wife Battering in Benin
City" In Kiseka, M.N. (ed.) Women's Health Issues in
Nigeria. (Zaria: Tamaza Publishing Comp. Ltd).
9. Alemika, E.E.O. (1996): " Family Violence and Human Rights in Nigeria" (Lagos:
EMPARC Monograph Series No. 1).
10. Atinmo, M (2000): " Socio-cultural Implications of wife-beating among the Yoruba in Ibadan City, Nigeria." In Oyekanmi, F.A.D (ed).:
Men, Women and Violence (Dakar: CODESRIA)
11. Figenschou, C(ed) (2000): Domestic Violence (California: Irwon
Manoim)
* F.A. Badru is a lecturer with the Department of
Sociology, University of Lagos, Nigeria.
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