Perceptions of Nigerian women on domestic violence: evidence from 2003 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey

Abstract

To facilitate the design of effective programmes to eliminate violence against women in Nigeria, this paper examined women's perceptions of wife beating. The data were derived from the 2003 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). Both descriptive and analytical methods were used to assess the net effects of socio-demographic factors on women's perceptions of domestic violence. The study demonstrates that a large percentage of Nigerian women agreed that a man is justified in beating or hitting his wife; 66.4% and 50.4% of ever-married and unmarried women respectively expressed consent for wife beating. Respondents' approval of wife beating or abuse varied by personal attributes. Ethnic affiliation, level of education, place of residence, wealth index and frequency of listening to radio were significantly related to concurrence with wife beating. This paper highlights the cultural factors responsible for, and negative effects of, domestic violence against women in Nigeria and makes a case for raising public consciousness against it.