The world will be commemorating the International Day for the Eradication of Violence Against Women on 25th of November this year. According to a report by the United Nations, one in every three women has experienced a form of physical or sexual violence inflicted on them by an intimate partner or a person they trust in most cases.
In Nigeria, domestic violence is still very prevalent. This past May the senate was driven to passing the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) bill into law.
To draw attention to the celebration of the International Day for the Eradication of Violence Against Women, NOI Polls, conducted a survey to ascertain Nigerians perceptions of marriage and other factors responsible for domestic abuse. According to the survey, one in ten married women have been a victim of domestic violence in the past while three in ten know a victim of domestic violence.
The respondents to the poll suggest that poverty is the greatest driver for an increase in domestic violence in the society. Many believe this hardship leads to frustration and anger and at the slightest provocation, people find themselves resorting to violence as a means of expressing their dissatisfaction with their situation. In addition to this, 16 percent and 12 percent of the respondents were of the opinion that it was because ‘Love no longer exists, and ‘growing insensitivity’, respectively. Interestingly, only 1% of the respondents ascribed the increase in domestic violence to ‘unemployment’.
