Factors Influencing Domestic Violence in Rural Communities of Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study analysed factors influencing domestic violence in rural communities of Abia State. A multi stage sampling procedure was employed to select a sample size of 216 respondents. Questionnaire was used for data collection. Results from the study showed that male and female respondents had mean age of 40.6 and 31.3 years respectively. The study area was dominated by Christians. The respondents believed that partner being an alcoholic, partner being brought up in a home with domestic violence history and partner doing a low paying job contributed to domestic violence. These had the mean scores of (x =2.87), (x =2.71) and (x =2.84) respectively for the male respondents. While for the female respondents, the mean scores were (x= 3.19), (x = 2.90) and (x = 3.96) respectively. They also agreed that domestic violence led to depression, miscarriages during pregnancy or even death which had the mean scores of (x=2.81), (x=2.81) and (x =3.43) respectively for the male respondents and (x =3.31), (x =3.62) and (x =3.46) for the female respondents respectively. There was a significant difference between the socio-economic effect of domestic violence on male and female respondents in the study area. Partner being an alcoholic, refraining from speaking up incidences of domestic violence, and being previously involved in domestic violence were contributive factors to domestic violence in the home. The paper recommended that couples and individuals should speak up about abuses from their spouses.