The Scourge is also known as Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), Gender-Based Violence (GBV) or Domestic Violence (DV). It is an age old socio-cultural issue deep-rooted in Nigerian and African societies.
Globally, domestic violence accounts for nearly one quarter of all recorded crimes. Domestic violence affects women in Nigeria and Africa irrespective of age, class, educational level and place of residence.
The Nigerian and African society is inherently patriarchal. This is due to the influence of the various religions and customs practiced. Women are seen as inferior to men, and are regarded as property, to be coveted, owned and used at will. This practice and mindset has been ingrained in the subconscious mind of the average Nigerian/African man.
Consequently, violence against women has become entrenched and institutionalized. We will examine Violence against women in Nigeria and Africa (with emphasis on South Africa, Ghana and Malawi) and we posit that such violence stems mainly from socio accultural and religious factors.
Other factors that engender violence against women, like lack of awareness of rights by women, illiteracy, poverty (economic pressure and frustration), child/ forced marriage, substance abuse are also fingered as culprits.
To curb violence against women in Nigeria and Africa as a whole, the following points are underscored.
Boys and Men will be held accountable
Freely giving clear consent is mandatory, every time, a basic argument in dealing with rape.
Rather than listening for a “no”, make sure there is a clear “yes”, from all involved.
Adopt clear consent in your life and talk about it.
Phrases like “she was asking for it” or “boys will be boys” and attempts to blur the lines around sexual consent, placing blame on victims, and excusing perpetrators from the crimes they have committed will not be accepted by agents of change.
While those that use these lines may have fuzzy understandings of consent, the definition is crystal clear. When it comes to consent, there are no blurred lines.
Learn more about consent.
5. Learn the signs of abuse and how you can help
There are many forms of abuse and all of them can have serious physical and emotional effects. If you’re concerned about a friend who may be experiencing violence or feels unsafe around someone, review these signs and learn about the ways to help them find safety and support.
If you think someone is abusing you, help is available. You are not alone. If you’d like to talk with a trained advocate at a helpline, we compiled this list of resources around the world.
Start a conversation
[You are not alone
Violence can take many forms, including sexual harassment in the workplace and in public spaces.
Take a stand by calling it out when you see it: catcalling, inappropriate sexual comments, and sexist jokes are never okay.
Create a safer environment for everyone by challenging your peers to reflect on their own behaviour and speaking up when someone crosses the line, or by enlisting the help of others if you don’t feel safe.
As always, listen to survivors and make sure they have the support they need.
Know the data and demand more of it
To effectively combat gender-based violence, we need to understand the issue.
Relevant data collection is key to implementing successful prevention measures and providing survivors with the right support.
Gaps in gender sensitive data collection have become more glaring than ever. Call on your government to invest in the collection of data on gender-based violence.
Find out how UN Women works to bring about a radical shift in how gender statistics are used, created and promoted. Support women education and economic empowerment. Let women be aware of their Fundamental Human Rights, same with the girl-child.
