Addressing Domestic Violence and Socio-health Impacts in Southwest, Nigeria: The Imperative for Multilevel Interventions

This study examined domestic violence and its socio-health impacts in Southwest, Nigeria. Domestic violence is a variant of gender-based violence which has attracted both international and national concerns due to its socio-legal and public health negative implications on the victims which in most cases are women, the abuser and the society. Nigeria government is a signatory to gender-friendly international protocols which have not been legislated by the Nigerian government. There are constitutional provisions which prescribe preventive and punitive measures to the perpetrators of violence yet the incidence of domestic violence has been on the increase in the Southwest, Nigeria. Women mostly bear the brunt of violence compared to men. One in four women has been the victim of domestic violence in Nigeria. Also, domestic violence is reinforced due to prevalent patriarchal norms and gender inequality despite that, women constitute eleven million, seven hundred and fifty-five thousand out of the total population of twenty- seven million, seven hundred and twenty- two thousand people in Southwest, Nigeria. Domestic violence is an interplay of multi-level causes, yet the current approach of response is a unilateral in nature that is legalistic instead of emphasizing on proactive, preventive and combating measures to curtail domestic violence in the Southwest, Nigeria. This study has objectives to determine holistically the root and immediate causes and socio-health consequences of domestic violence in Southwest, Nigeria, to evaluate the impacts and effectiveness of national and state’s government institutional mechanisms at addressing domestic violence. Determine measures of assisting and to provide health support for the victims of domestic violence. The theoretical framework of analysis of this research project is social learning theory that is psycho-analytic oriented analysis of violence at domestic level. Also, the research methodology applied the use of quantitative and qualitative research design and analysis. In conclusion, the study recommends economic empowerment of women, de-emphasize patriarchal norms and adopt multi-level interventions which will incorporates health-counseling, legal and community- oriented approach as measures of preventing and tackling effectively the incidence of domestic violence in Southwest, Nigeria.