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Explaining trends and patterns in attitudes towards wife-beating among women in Nigeria: analysis of 2003, 2008, and 2013 Demographic and Health Survey data
Authors: Kolawole Azeez Oyediran
Source: Genus, 72:11; DOI: 10.1186/s41118-016-0016-9
Topic(s): Domestic violence
Gender-based violence (GBV)
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
Women's autonomy
Country: Africa
  Nigeria
Published: DEC 2016
Abstract: This paper examines the patterns and trends in attitudes towards wife-beating among women in Nigeria and their determinants. Using the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey datasets, a multivariate logistic regression was fitted to assess the relationships between sociocultural factors and a woman’s attitude towards being beaten by her spouse. The results indicate a significant change over time in the percentage of Nigerian women supporting or accepting the notion that a man is justified in beating or hitting his wife. The findings show that during interviews in 2003, 2008, and 2013, 62.4, 45.7, and 37.1% of women, respectively, believed that wife-beating was justified for at least one of the reasons given. Education, place of residence, wealth index, ethnic affiliation, religious affiliation, women’s autonomy in household decision-making, and frequency of listening to the radio were significantly related to acceptance of wife-beating over the years. The study underscores the importance of these factors to the development of policies addressing gender-based violence and urges special attention and intervention to mitigate the effect of the cultural practices that underlie domestic violence against women in Nigeria. Keywords: Women Domestic violence Attitudes Autonomy Husband Wife Trend Nigeria
Web: http://download.springer.com/static/pdf/414/art%253A10.1186%252Fs41118-016-0016-9.pdf?originUrl=http%3A%2F%2Flink.springer.com%2Farticle%2F10.1186%2Fs41118-016-0016-9&token2=exp=1481645467~acl=%2Fstat