Domestic Violence: Police and Security Agencies Accused of Complicity

In Nigeria, there appears to have been an increase in recorded occurrences of gender-based or domestic violence in recent years. All women and girls in Nigeria are thought to be at risk of physical, sexual, and emotional violence in their own homes today.

As a result, a large number of people have died over time. Osinachi Nwachukwu, a prominent Nigerian gospel crooner, died recently from injuries purportedly inflicted by an abusive and violent husband. Her death caused yet another public outcry, which brought domestic violence in Nigeria to the surface.

Domestic abuse, also known as domestic violence or intimate partner violence, is described by the United Nations as “a pattern of behavior used to establish or maintain power and control over an intimate partner in any relationship.” Physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological acts or threats of actions that influence another person, according to the global body.

This encompasses any behavior that terrifies, intimidates, terrorizes, manipulates, injures, or wounds someone. Anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender can be a victim of domestic violence. It can happen in a variety of relationships, including married, cohabiting, and dating couples. People of various socioeconomic backgrounds and educational levels are affected by domestic violence. Domestic violence can happen to anyone, no matter what their age, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, faith, or social class are. The abused can be a child or other relative, as well as any other member of the household.

Domestic violence is defined as a pattern of abusive behavior directed towards an intimate partner in a dating or familial relationship in which the abuser maintains power and control over the victim. Domestic violence can take many forms, including emotional, physical, financial, and sexual. The frequency and severity of incidents rarely occur in isolation. Domestic violence can result in significant physical harm or death.

Stop #DomesticViolence no matter the gender
Na full grown man woman dey flog like baby so.? pic.twitter.com/qMrzdJrv6E

— Chinomso Utility~??~Pappi (@ch_moses) April 10, 2022

Domestic violence can also include intimidation in many forms: physical abuse, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, psychological abuse, and even financial abuse, says Pastor Jackie Ikeotuonye, who was a victim and survivor of domestic violence and now works as a pastor in the church.

“And this cuts across all sectors of our society. We can only look at the increasing rise of domestic violence from reported cases or from those who have been victims or are still victims who may not have reported formally to law enforcement agents but are using various platforms to share their story.”

“There are so many causes but before I look at the causes, I must state clearly that there is no reason whatsoever for any woman to be subjected to any form of domestic violence. Now, I am just focusing on women for the pur­poses of this discussion. There are men who are also being abused domestically by their spouses. Let me just save it here for another discussion. The incidence of reported cases of domestic violence that involve women is much higher than that of men.

“There is also an economic aspect of it. When the head of the home is not able to fend for his family or he has the ability but due to his irresponsibility, he refuses to do so. This creates tension in the home and any attempt by the wife to demand an explanation or remind the man of his responsibility and obligation to his family results in one form of domestic abuse or the other.

“Then we have differences in personality. Most people made the mistake of marrying someone they are not compatible with either because they were under pressure to marry or they were ‘running’ away from some problems in their homes. We should not overlook the role of background in dealing with the problem of domestic violence. A man who grew up in a home where his father battered his mum or treated her with disdain is most likely going to do the same to his spouse except by some mentorship or exposure to some sane envi­ronments, which helps reshape and change his perspectives.

“Again we live in a patriarchal society. Though that perception is gradually changing, a woman isn’t considered complete until she attaches “Mrs. Somebody” thereby dropping her maiden name which is a very honorable thing. We have also seen that in the majority of the cases, no woman marries with an exit plan, so she goes to any length to ensure that she remains married.

According to Pastor Ikeotuonye, With this mindset, she tolerates every maltreatment meted out to her in the home. And when she attempts to confide in someone, could be her parents, church leaders, friends, or siblings about domestic violence in her home, in over 80 percent of the cases, she is told to bear it, that it will get better. Some par­ents will caution her against bringing shame to the family in the event her marriage breaks up.

According to James Ibor, a member of the Basic Rights Counsel Initiative, cultural and religious traditions are the key causes that encourage violence against women and girls in Nigeria, which he claims is particularly frequent during wartime. Ibor bemoaned the rape and brutalization of women and girls in order to degrade their village. Other types of violence against women and children, according to him, include human trafficking, sexual exploitation, deprivation of resources such as health, food, and livelihood, incarceration, child marriage, battering, and female genital mutilation (FGM).

Nigeria has the most child brides in Africa and the third-largest number of women and girls who have had FGM in the world, according to a human rights lawyer. From infancy to adulthood, he believes that boys and girls are raised, treated, and appreciated differently. Caregiving and home responsibilities are primarily the responsibility of women and girls, which has ramifications for girls’ attendance at school.

Only women, he believes, are taken and raped during the fight. Only women are required to go to bed with men before being hired or receiving a first-class ticket. Men also tell women not to work and to stay at home. Women change their names after marriage as well.

Contributing, In a recent conversation with our correspondent, Foluke Omoworare, a Child Protection Specialist, disclosed that 36% of married women in the country have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional violence at the hands of their spouses. She emphasized that the majority of perpetrators of violence against women are husbands and intimate partners, whereas children are frequently abused by individuals who know them.