This paper investigates IPV experiences of women in Nigeria, and the reasons women hold to justify enduring IPV in marriage. The objectives of the study include assessing the role of the state, culture and religion in intimate partner violence, and evaluating the relationship between societal level biases and enduring IPV in marriage. The study employed a cross-sectional survey design involving 400 respondents selected from different states in Nigeria using non-probability sampling. Both qualitative and quantitative techniques were used for data collection. Data were evaluated using univariate and bivariate analysis. At the univariate level, descriptive statistics were used to analyse variables like the socio-demographic information of the respondents while chi-square was employed to test hypothesis. Findings show that, at p-value of .0256 (p < .05), societal level biases and cultural and religious ideals about marriage are positively linked to women’s acceptance and endurance of IPV. The study also revealed that women elect to endure IPV in marriage owing to the stigma attached to failed marriages; lack of finance and responsibility to children, inter alia. Furthermore, 70.5% of the respondents indicated that it is expected of a woman to endure IPV in marriage as it is contrary to cultural and religious injunctions to leave a marriage, even if it is abusive. The study thus recommends the need to develop a protective environment for women against societal, cultural and religious ideals. Vulnerable women should be able to access unrestricted legal support when opting out of an abusive marital relationship. Most importantly, beliefs that compel women to endure IPV in marriage should be abolished.
Citation: Ubelejit-Nte A.A. and Nwakanma E. (2023) Enduring Intimate Partner Violence in Marriage: Myths and realities, International Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Research, Vol.9, No.1 pp.1-24
Keywords: Marital instability, Marriage, Nigeria, intimate partner violence, women in society
