Intimate partner violence: prevalence, contributing factors and spectrum among married couples in Southeast Nigeria

Authors

  • Anolue F. C. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
  • Uzoma O. I. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
  • Uzoma O. I. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Imo State University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-1770.ijrcog20174019

Keywords:

Abuse, Coercion, Depression, Intimate partner violence, Marital rape

Abstract

Abstract
Background
Intimate partner violence is a globally acknowledged public health problem. Violence against women is unsurprisingly common albeit under reported in both developing and developed nations. It impacts the physical and mental health of affected women adversely. Even though it appears in different forms it is a malady that deserves increased attention. It is a social menace that is common in Africa with Nigeria being no exception. This study sets out to determine its prevalence, contributing factors and the spectrum of violence against married women in Southeast Nigeria.
Materials and Methods
A cross sectional study of prospectively consenting women within a community based setting was done in Orlu, Nigeria during a period between 1st August to 31st August 2016. A total of 695 respondents were initially recruited and given structured questionnaires, of this number 13 failed to answer questions on intimate partner violence and hence were excluded, thus the final study population was actually 682.
Using a 95% confidence interval, 5% margin of error, population proportion of 0.5, the minimum sample size was calculated as 384 using the Cochran’s formula for sample size. The data was then analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.

Results
A total of 682 (100%) respondents met the criteria for the study, of this number 382 (56%) had experienced some form of IPV while 300 (44%) had not. The factor most frequently associated with abusive behavior was financial requests/constraints accounting for 123 cases (32.2%). Injuries were sustained by 130 women (34%) with 66 of them suffering miscarriages (17.28%). Two hundred and twenty four women (32.8%) had experienced only one form of abuse while 158 (23.17%) reported multiple forms of abuse. Intimate partner violence was most prevalent among women within the 25 – 34 years age range constituting a total of 170 (44.5%) cases of abuse. Those married women with only primary education were the subset of the study population that had the greatest number of abused women; 138 cases (38.1%).

Conclusion
Intimate partner violence is a pervasive problem in Nigeria with a prevalence of 56% in this study. Various factors particularly financial constraints, incitement, alcoholism and substance abuse were contributing factors in cases of IPV. Intimate partner violence may appear as a single form or as multiple forms of abuse.




 

References

Alokan FB. Domestic violence against women; a family menace. 1st Annual International Interdisciplinary Conference, AIIC April, Azores, Portugal; 2013:24-26

Babu BV, Kar SK. Domestic violence in Eastern India: Factors associated with victimization and perpetration. Public health. 2010;124:136-148.

World Health Organization, Preventing Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Against Women: Taking Action and Generating Evidence, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland;2010.

Fonck K, Els L, Kidula N, Ndinya-Achola J, Temmerman M. Increased Risk of HIV in Women Experiencing Physical Partner Violence in Nairobi, Kenya. AIDS and Behavior. 2005;9:335-9.

Moreno CG, Jansen H, Ellsberg M, Heise L, Watts C. WHO multi-country study on women’s health and domestic violence against women initial results on prevalence, health outcomes and women’s responses. Lancet. 2006;368:1260-1269.

Shamu S, Abrahams N, Temmerman M, Musekiwa A, Zarowsky A. A systematic review of African studies on intimate partner violence against pregnant women: prevalence and risk factors. PLoS One. 2011;6(3):17591.

Obi SN, Ozumba BC. Factors associated with domestic violence in Southeast Nigeria. J Obstet Gynecol 2007;27:75-78.

Michau L, Naker D. Mobilizing Communities to Prevent Domestic Violence: a resource for Organizations in East and Southern Africa;2003

WHO. Multi country study on Women's health and domestic violence against women. Geneva: World Health Organization;2007.

WHO. Multi-Country study on women’s health and domestic violence against women. Summary report of initial results on prevalence, health outcomes and women’s responses. Geneva, World Health Organization;2005

Devries KM, Mak JY, Bacchus LJ, Child JC, Falder G, Petzold M et al. Intimate partner violence and incident depressive symptoms and suicide attempts: a systematic review of longitudinal studies. PLoS Med. 2013;10(5):e1001439.

United States Department of Health and Human Services (2007). Center for Disease control and Prevention (CDC). Intimate Partner Violence: Overview. Available at http://www.cdc.gov.nicpc/ factsheets/ipoverview.htm.

Babu BV, Kar SK. Domestic violence against women in eastern India: a population-based study on prevalence and related issues. BMC Public Health 2009;9:129.

Ali TS, Asad N, Mogren I, Krantz G. Intimate partner violence in urban Pakistan: prevalence, frequency, and risk factors. International Journal of Women’s Health. 2011;3:105-115.

Chervyakov VV, Shkolnikov VM, Pridemore WA, McKee M. The changing nature of murder in Russia. Social Sci Med. 2002;55:1713-24.

Ali TS, Mogren I, Krantz G. Intimate partner violence and mental health effects: A population-based study among married women in Karachi, Pakistan. Int J Behavioral Medicine. 2011;20:13-139.

Adebayo AA. Sociological implications of domestic violence on children’s development in Nigeria. Journal of African Studies and Development. 2014;6(1):813.

Aihie ON. Prevalence of Domestic Violence in Nigeria: Implication for Counselling. Edo J Couns. 2009;2(1):1-8.

Temmermen M, Fonck K, Els L, Kidula N, Ndinya-Achola J. Increased risk of HIV in women experiencing physical partner violence in Nairobi, Kenya. AIDS and Behavior. 2005;9(3):335-9.

Oladepo O, Yusuf OB, Arulogun OS. Factors Associated with Gender based violence in selected states in Nigeria. Afr J Reprod Health. 2011;15(4):78-86.

Luis A, Marinheiro V, Mi VE, Souza L. Prevalence of violence against women users of health care services. Rev Saude Publica. 2006;40(4):1-7.

Bonomi AE, Thompson RS, Anderson M, Reid RJ, Carrell D, Dimer JA et al. Intimate partner violence and women's physical, mental, and social functioning. Am J Prevent Medic. 2006;30(6):458-466.

Wong JYH, Tiwari A., Fong DYT, Humphreys J, Bullock L. Depression among women experiencing intimate partner violence in a Chinese community. Nursing Res. 2011;60(1):58-65.

Ishida K, Stupp P, Melian M, Serbanescu F, Goodwin M. Exploring the associations between intimate partner violence and women's mental health: evidence from a population-based study in Paraguay. Social Sci Medic. 2010;71(9):1653-61.

Dude AM. Spousal intimate partner violence is associated with HIV and other STIs among married Rwandan women. AIDS Behavior. 2011;15(1):142-152.

Jewkes RK, Dunkle K, Nduna M, Shai N. Intimate partner violence, relationship power inequity, and incidence of HIV infection in young women in South Africa: a cohort study. Lancet. 2010;376:41-8.

Tian-yu GU, Ying-ping YE, Hao Z, Li S. A preliminary study on the current situation and prevention of domestic violence in Hainan. Humanities Soc Sci J Hainan Univ. D923.9;D669.1.

Downloads

Published

2017-08-28

Issue

Section

Original Research Articles