Submit your papersSubmit Now
For Enquiries: [email protected]
IIARD LogoIIARD

Spousal Violence and Help-Seeking Behaviour among Women in Yenagoa City, Bayelsa State: Patterns, Causes, and Support Systems

Iteimowei Major, PhD

Abstract

This study investigates spousal violence and help-seeking behaviour among 138 women in Yenagoa City, Bayelsa state. The major objectives were to find out the major forms of violence, their causes and the formal and informal means of seeking help among women. The study which mainly utilises the quantitative approach of data collection (questionnaire), made use of two theories namely; the resource perspective and the survival approach. The study found that control, behaviour, physical violence, economic, and sexual spousal violence, were the most prevailing forms of violence experienced by the respondents. For controlling behaviour, insisting on knowing respondents’ movements at all times and ignoring/treating respondents indifferently were the most prevalent forms of controlling behaviour experienced by respondents. In finding out the reason for spousal violence, the study indicated that verbal abuse and money problems were the major causes of spousal violence. Regarding help-seeking behaviour, most respondents indicated that they primarily seek assistance from their own relatives when experiencing abuse. However, they formally turn to gender centres for support. Therefore, it was recommended that the factors influencing women's help-seeking decisions in such situations should be identified. Additionally, policy initiatives should aim to strengthen both formal and informal support systems to promote a more equitable society for women. Lastly, efforts should be made to enhance education and expand economic opportunities for women.

References

Aye, E. N., Amaeze, E. F., Aye, R. W., Eze, C. O., Onumonu, A. J., Obikwelu, C. L., & Oforka, T. O. (2024). Physical and psychological health consequences of intimate partner violence among married primary school teachers in Delta South Senatorial Zone of Delta State, Nigeria: Implication for marital stability. African Health Sciences, 24(1), 112–118. https://doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v24i1.14 Breiding, M. J., Smith, S. G., Basile, K. C., Walters, M. L., Chen, J., & Merrick, M. T. (2014). Prevalence and characteristics of sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence victimization--national intimate partner and sexual violence survey, United States, 2011. Morbidity and mortality weekly report. Surveillance summaries (Washington, D.C.), 63(8), 1–18. Bamiwuye, S. O. & Odimegwu, C. (2014). Spousal violence in sub-Saharan Africa: Does household poverty-wealth matter? Reproductive Health, 11(1), 45. Bamiwuye, S. O., Owoeye, O. M., & Oyiboka, I. A. (2015, November-December). Male dominance, help seeking behavior among abused women and termination of pregnancy in sub-Saharan African countries. Paper presented at 7th African Population Conference, Johannesburg, South Africa. Cantalupo, N. C. (2011). Domestic Violence in Sub-Saharan Africa: Addressing Legacies of Colonialism and a Culture of Impunity. Georgetown Journal of Gender and the Law, 12(2), 35-59. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014). About Intimate Partner Violence. https://www.cdc.gov/intimate-partner-violence/about/index.html Ellsberg, M., Jansen, H. A., Heise, L., Watts, C. H., & García-Moreno, C. (2015). Intimate Partner Violence and Women's Physical and Mental Health in the WHO Multi-country Study on Women's Health and Domestic Violence. Social Science & Medicine, 68(2), 22-29. García-Moreno, C., Pallitto, C., Devries, K., Stöckl, H., Watts, C., & Abrahams, N. (2013). Global and Regional Estimates of Violence Against Women: Prevalence and Health Effects of Intimate Partner Violence and Non-Partner Sexual Violence. WHO Press. Gayawan, E., Uzobo, E., Ononokpono, D.N., Aladeniyi, O.B., Dake, F.A.A (2023). Intimate partner violence and malnutrition among women of reproductive age in Western Africa: A geostatistical analysis. PLOS Global Public Health 3(11): e0002354. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pgph.0002354 Gondolf, E. W., & Fisher, E. R. (1988). Battered women as survivors: An alternative to treating learned helplessness. Lexington Books/D. C. Heath and Com. Heise, L. (2012). Determinants of Intimate Partner Violence: A Conceptual Model. The Lancet, 358(9283), 43-47. Jewkes, R., Flood, M., & Lang, J. (2015). From Work with Men and Boys to Changes of Social Norms and Reduction of Inequities in Gender Relations: A Conceptual Shift in Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls. The Lancet, 385(9977), 1580-1589. Koenig, M. A., Stephenson, R., Ahmed, S., Jejeebhoy, S. J., & Campbell, J. (2006). Individual and Contextual Determinants of Domestic Violence in North India. American Journal of Public Health, 96(1), 132-138. Landenburger K. (1998). The dynamics of leaving and recovering from an abusive relationship. Clinical Issues, 27(6), 700-706. Nurius, P. S., Macy, R. J., Nwabuzor, I., & Holt, V. L. (2011). Intimate partner survivors' help- seeking and protection efforts: a person-oriented analysis. Journal of interpersonal violence, 26(3), 539–566. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260510363422 Ononokpono, D.N., & Uzobo, E. (2024). Gender symmetry: A systematic review of men’s experiences of intimate partner violence during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. International Journal of Population Studies, 10(1), 34-44; https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.376 Stark, E. (2007). Coercive Control: The Entrapment of Women in Personal Life. Oxford University Press. Stephens-Lewis, D., Johnson, A., Huntley, A., Gilchrist, E., McMurran, M., Henderson, J., Feder, G., Howard, L. M., & Gilchrist, G. (2021). Interventions to Reduce Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration by Men Who Use Substances: A Systematic Review and Meta- Analysis of Efficacy. Trauma, violence & abuse, 22(5), 1262–1278. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838019882357 Straus, M. A. (2011). Gender symmetry and mutuality in perpetration of clinical-level partner violence: Empirical evidence and implications for prevention and treatment. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 16(4), 279–288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2011.04.010 Uzobo, E., & Nwanwene, I. (2021). Trends in sexual violence in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria in a COVID-19 era: A review of newspaper reports. Nigerian Journal of Social Problems and Social Policy Review, 1(1), 28–38. Uzobo, E., & Ayinmoro, A.D. (2021). Trapped between two pandemics: Domestic violence cases under COVID-19 pandemic lockdown: A scoping review. Community Health Equity & Research Policy. https://doi.org/10.1177/0272684X211022121

More Articles from INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND MANAGEMENT RESEARCH

Building National Analytics Capacity: Advances and Future Pathways

Author: Uchechi Mary-Linda Unamma, Ifeanyichukwu Jeffrey Okwesa, Uzoamaka Iwuanyanwu

Root-Cause and Thematic Analysis for Major Incident Management: A Review

Author: Ifeanyichukwu Jeffrey Okwesa, Uchechi Mary-Linda Unamma, Uzoamaka Iwuanyanwu

Data-Quality and Single-Source-Of-Truth Frameworks for Inter- Agency Reporting: A Review

Author: Uchechi Mary-Linda Unamma, Ifeanyichukwu Jeffrey Okwesa, Uzoamaka Iwuanyanwu

Human-In-The-Loop Decision Systems: Advances and Future Directions

Author: Funmilayo Ashore-Onisemo, Uchechi Mary-Linda Unamma, Ifeanyichukwu Jeffrey, Okwesa,

Roles of Oil Subsidy Removal on Transportation Cost and Water Factory in Cross River South, Nigeria

Author: Onwuzurike Peter Tobechi, Owoh Akwa Owoh, Unoh Grace Inyang, Umaru Musa