Published by ENIOLA AKINKUOTU. October 24 2024
Seun Ajoseh, a PhD researcher at the University of Florida, discusses the impacts of violence against women on their health. He discusses these impacts from his two recently published articles, “‑Food-based Domestic Violence and Anemia among Women in Sexual Unions in Nigeria: The Effect of Urbanization, and Family Settings, Sexual Abuse Experience, and Health Outcomes among Young People in Lagos State, Nigeria.
What is violence against women?
The United Nations defined violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or mental harm or suffering to women, which might include acts of coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in private or in public life”. In sexual and reproductive health, I have been focusing on domestic violence and sexual abuse. Domestic violence is a pattern of behavior in a relationship used by a partner to gain or maintain control and power over another intimate partner, which could be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological, among others. Sexual abuse may manifest in several ways, including rape, unwelcome fondling, kissing, and touching.
What is the prevalence of domestic violence and sexual violence?
Nearly one in four women in Nigeria has reported having experienced domestic violence. Six out of every 10 children experience some form of violence, and one in every four girls has been a victim of sexual abuse before the age of eighteen. Nigeria has the largest number of child brides in Africa, with about 23 million children married as children before the age of eighteen. Child sexual abuse could be higher than reported because less than one percent of cases are reported in hospitals and other social institutions. Some of the risk factors of domestic violence in Africa include age, drinking, depression, low-income family functioning, poverty, being in a rural location, gender norms, and social norms. Similarly, some risk factors of sexual abuse are the “virgin myth”, patriarchy, erosion of social values, poor parenting and family functioning, sexual coercion, bullying and violence, and substance abuse.
What are the findings of your studies?
In our study on domestic violence, we observed that food-related domestic violence perpetrated by husbands is more prevalent in rural areas than in urban areas. These violent actions have been normalized and perceived as justified by the women themselves, suggesting the internalization of such beliefs. Furthermore, we found that women who believe that such violence is justifiable are more likely to have anemia than those who believe that it is not justifiable, especially in rural areas. With 58% of pregnant women and 47% of non-pregnant women in Nigeria experiencing anemia, leading to adverse maternal and child outcomes, culturally sensitive maternal health interventions are needed to reorient individuals and families on domestic violence. In our study on child sexual abuse, we found that having a stable family protects children from sexual abuse. However, when relatives live with the family, the children are more likely to experience improper touch, fondling, and fingering. The experience of child sexual abuse makes children more likely to withdraw from groups, become pregnant, hate the opposite sex, and have suicidal thoughts. Thus, to prevent these adverse health outcomes like teenage pregnancy, unsafe abortion, maternal mortality, mental health challenges, suicidal tendencies, and other developmental challenges, the family and society must prioritize the protection of the children. Our studies demonstrated that violence against women is still prevalent in Nigeria, and such behaviors are internalized and could be perceived as normal.
What can we do to mitigate violence perpetrated against women?
There is a need to reorient individuals and families on violence and to address the cultural values and social norms that facilitate violence against women. Culturally sensitive maternal health interventions are needed to address the rural areas where domestic violence is more prevalent. Furthermore, the stigma of sexual abuse reporting should be discouraged, and victims and families should be encouraged to report to hospitals and other social institutions for proper rehabilitation of the victims, and punishment of the offenders.
Thank you for coming
Thank you for having me.
