SEXUAL ABUSE AND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE OF INTIMATE PARTNERS IN ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP BY

1. SEXUAL ABUSE AND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE OF INTIMATE PARTNERS IN ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP BY Dr. (Mrs.) Akanle Florence Foluso Institute Of Education Faculty of Education University of Ado-Ekiti E-mail: folusoakanle@yahoo.com 08066256097

2. Abstract • The women folk in Nigeria is generally vulnerable to sexual violence which is perpetuated by intimate partners. Apart from sexual violence, women are victims of physical and psychological violence which occur in the family. Some forms of sexual violence are regarded as normal social relationships commonly observed between a husband and the wife. The study attempts to examine the different forms of sexual violence and the percentages of women who experience them. The study also investigates if men and women have equal decision making opportunity in regard to sex discussion, control of the body, fertility, condom negotiation, and refusal of unprotected sex. In addressing this concern, the study utilized a field survey questionnaire to elicit primary data from randomly selected women aged 20 to 60 years. The analysis of the data was done using frequency counts, percentages and bar charts. Inferential statistics such as chisquare, Pearson product Moment and t-test were also used. The findings revealed that between 12 to 45.5 percent of women have experienced sexual violence perpetuated by intimated partners in established relationships. That women do not have equal decision making opportunities about condom negotiation, control of their body and discussion of fertility like men. Based on this finding it was recommended that programmes which could promote more gender equality and reduced women vulnerability to gender based violence should be provided in the Nigerian society.

3. Keywords: • Condom negotiation, Decision making, Gender based violence, Sexual exploitation, sexual coercion and sexual transmitted infection.

4. Objective of the Study • To access the extent of gender balance in decision-making authority on the process of condom negotiation, the control of one’s body and the discussion of sexual matters among married people in Nigeria.

5. Conclusion and Recommendation • Men have greater influence over sexuality, condom negotiation and more power over decision-making concerning fertility in Nigeria. The implication of these findings point to clear disadvantage for women in the area of protection of self against unwanted pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections. Women lack equal opportunity in decision-making about sexuality. This narrows or puts women at a disadvantage in protecting their own reproductive health. Women find it difficult to discuss sexual matters and condom use with their partners. • There is need for programmes to challenge traditional gender stereotypes and promote new ways of looking at gender roles. • Preference Presentation: Oral.

6. Introduction: • The term violence against women means any act of gender-based violence that result in, or is likely to result in physical sexual or psychological harm or suffering to a woman, including threats of such acts, coercion on or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life. Violence encompasses but is not limited to the following:

7. Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, including battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry-related violence, marital rape, female genital mutilation and other traditional practice harmful to women, non-spousal violence and violence related exploitation. • Physical, sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or condoned by the state, wherever it occurs. Other acts of violence against women include violation of the human rights of women in situation of armed conflicts, in particular murder, systematic rape, sexual slavery and forced sterilization and forced abortion, coercive/forced use of contraceptive, female infanticide and prenatal sex selection. (Beijing Platform for Detron 1995) .

8. Different forms of violence include, rape within marriage or dating relationship, rape by a stranger, unwanted sexual advances or sexual harassment including demanding sex in return for favours sexual abuse of mentally or physically disabled people, forced marriage or co-habitation, including the marriage of children, denial of the right to use contraception or adopt measures. • To protect against sexually transmitted disease • Forced abortion • Violent acts against the sexual integrity of women including female genital mutilation and obligating inspection of virginity. • Forced prostitution and trafficking of women for the purpose of sexual exploitation (Chauzy, Krygz, and Republic, 2001, Dinan 2000).

9. According to Elisberg(1999) and Hakimi (2001), sexual violence occurs throughout the world. It is a common health problem affecting millions of people each year throughout the world. Available data suggests that in some countries, nearly one in four women may experience sexual violence by an intimate partner. In some cases several women experience rape within marriage or dating relationships while some women have been denied of the right to use contraception or to adopt other measures as condom use, or to discuss sexual matters so as to protect themselves against sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy. Many have been forced to abort pregnancies. Violent acts such as those that reduce the sexual integrity of women, including female genital mutilation and obligatory inspection for virginity have been performed on women. • Sexual violence has a profound impact on the physical and mental health. It could also cause physical injury. Sexual violence is associated with an increased risk of a range of sexual and reproductive health problems with both immediate and long-term consequences (Jewkes,Ren-Kenkana levin 2001 Boyer and Fine 1992).The impact of sexual violence on mental health can be as serious as its physical impact, and may be equally long lasting. Death following sexual violence may be as a result of suicide, HIV/AIDS infection or murder – the later occurring either during a sexual assault or subsequently, as a murderer of honour. Sexual violence can also affect the social well being of victims; individuals may be stigmatized or ostracized by their families and others as a consequence of sexual violence.

10. In Nigeria, Akintoke (2006) reported that 25% of women experienced domestic violence and that the level of education influences domestic violence. Emeka (2002) reported that a man threw out his wife from the balcony of a one storey building and that the wife later died. Adelugba (2002) reported that a man bathed his wife with acid while it was reported that a 12year old girl who married a much older man when she was only nine years old, ran away on two occasions and when she did that at the third time, the husband chopped off her 2 legs with a machete. The injury she sustained led to the girls’ death. Marriage which is expected to bring joy and happiness among couples appear to breed sorrow and regret as a result of problems such as constant physical/psychological violence, infliction of permanent injury, deprivation of women of their right and privileges and subjection of intimate partners to physical, sexual and psychological violence. Often men who coerce a spouse into sexual act believe their actions are legitimate because they are married to the woman. Coerced sex may result in sexual gratification on the part of the perpetrator. It involves the use of power and dominance over the person assaulted. Women may also be raped when in police custody or in prison.

11. In many countries, substantial proportion of women experiencing physical violence also experience sexual abuse.Sometimes sexual violence occurs without physical violence. A study in Mexico and United States estimate that 40-52% of women experiencing physical violence by an intimate partner have also been sexually coerced by their partner (Campbell and Soekes (1999) Grandados (1999).Findings of studies indicated that 23% of women in North London, England, reported having been victims of either an attempted or computed rape by a partner in their life time. The prevalence of rape (including attempted assaults) has also been estimated in a few national surveys as – Canada 8%, England Hales and Scotland (combined) 14.2% Finland 5.0%. Switzerland 11.6% and limited stages 7.7%.Campbell and Soely cleared • One of the most common forms of sexual violence around the world is that which is perpetrated by an intimate partner, leading to the conclusion that one of the most important risk factors for women – in terms of the vulnerability to sexual assault is being married or cohabitating with a partner. Other factors influencing the risk of sexual violence include: • being young, consuming alcohol or drugs, having been previously raped, involvement in sex works, becoming more educated and economically empowered, at least where sexual violence is perpetrated by an intimate partner is concerned.

12. According to Acieno-ciaa and Greenfield (2000), younger women are usually found to be at risk of rape. While women who are more educated than their partner are at greater risk of increased sexual violence. The likely exploitation is that greater empowerment brings with it more resistance from women to Partracch norms (Jewkes, Penn-Kekena&Levin in press). Many men may resort to violence in an attempt to regain control. The relationship between empowerment and physical violence is an inverted ‘U’ shape-with greater empowerment confirming great risk up to a certain level. It is not known, though for sexual violence. Poverty forces many women into occupations that carry relatively high risk of sexual violence. • Alcohol has been shown to play a role in certain types of assault by men. Men are likely to act violently when they drink because they do not consider they will be held accountable for their behaviour. Alcohol has a psychopharmacological effect of reducing or inhibiting judgment and impairing the ability to interpret cues,(Abby,Crowelt&Biosess 1996).Gage (1998) Maharaji (2001) reported that women in Nigeria have little power pertaining to the control of their bodies, including for example, determining whether or not to refuse sex to her partner, negotiate condom use or decide the number of children they want. Kuti (1996) observed that women are not allowed to speak on sexual matters affecting their sexuality, and these exposed women to the risk of HIV/AIDS infection, coercive or transmotizing intercourse and sexual relations without their consent in which they have limited power to refuse an unprotected intercourse. In some cases, men use their wives in hospitality to entertain their friend in Nigeria.

13. Varga (1997) observed that condom negotiation within established relationship was often interpreted as offensive, suggestive of lack of trust or fidelity, that the partners has sexually transmitted infection. Condom negotiation may create tension, anger and confrontation within marriage. Kuti (1999) indicated that socio-cultural and religious norms in Nigeria generally reinforce male dominance in sexual decision making. Needs of women are usually not met or adequately considered, and women do not generally have power to make decision concerning sexuality. As a result, women are particularly vulnerable to STDS, because they have limited social and cultural support to negotiate or act to protect themselves. Women have little power to limit their sexual exposure or refuse sex even if their husbands have multiple sexual partners.

14. Statement of the Problem • The term gender-based violence means any act of violence that results into suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life. Violence against women in this study encompasses physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring between a women and the partner in the family, including battery, sexual abuse, marital rape, unwanted sexual advances, sexual harassment, including demand in return for sex for favour, forced marriage or cohabitation, denial of the right to control one’s body in the choice of fertility, condom negotiation, forced abortion and violent act against the sexual integrity of women. • A number of international treaties legitimizing actions in relation to gender sexual violence in many societies implicitly (or even explicitly) tolerate and condone sexual violent behaviour under specific circumstances, for example heads of household may abuse their wives, children and others. According to Maharaji, sexual violence appears to occur on a vast scale in Nigeria. Women are most likely to be assaulted within the confines of their own family. Available data suggest that between 16-52% of women throughout the world have been assaulted. A study of court records in Nigeria revealed that 59% of homicides of women were committed by the victims intimate partners.

15. In Nigeria; some forms of sexual violence are normal social relationships commonly observed between a husband and a wife. The husbands are recognized as the head of the family and therefore his decisions on issues of sexuality in regards to the control of the body of the women is final. Not only must his wishes be obeyed, it must also be enforced. According to Ogundana (2005), it is widely accepted that the women have no control over the extramarital affairs of their husbands and also the control of her own body. In recent times, the improvement in women’s status seem to have only brought little changes. Traditionally and even in modern times. Yoruba men still dominate the wives. The more the level of education among women, the higher the risk of sexual violence. • Even though Orubuloye, Oguntimehin and Sodiq (1999) opined that the extent of dominance of men on women has started to reduce in Nigeria, Nigerian men still uphold the culture of dominance and polygamy. Many men still believe that paying the bride price of a woman means that the woman is their property and hence this entitles them to dictate the condition under which the sexual act could occur. Many have been found to use physical violence in their sexual relationship to force their partner to submit to them. Many women seem powerless to refuse sexual intercourse or even convince their partners to protect them from unwanted pregnancies or STIs. It is not surprising, therefore, that many women choose to take risk in order to avoid the embarrassment or punishment of having to discuss sexual matters or refusing to have unprotected sex with their men.

16. Sexual violence is not only a means of structuring power relations between men and women but a way of establishing power relations among men. The consequences of sexual violence involve sexual conquest, domineering sexual behavior, in which the survivors may experience physical injury, unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection. The physical consequences of sexual violence, the psychological emotional or spiritual damage which may result may be devastating, disastrous; there is therefore a need to prevent sexual violence which may necessitate a cultural shift in terms of gender role expectations, acceptable mechanism for conflict resolution and the unacceptability of violence. Hence there is need for a research on sexual abuse and gender based violence by intimate partners in Nigeria. To asses the extent of gender balances in decision making authority between men and women. The following general questions were raised: • Is sexual violence common in Nigeria? • What percentage of women reported the different forms of sexual violence? • Can a woman refuse sex with her husband? • Do men and women have equal decision making opportunity concerning sexuality (discussion of sexual matters, control of the body fertility, condom negotiation and sex discussion, refusal of unprotected sex) in Nigeria.

17. Hypotheses 1 -: Men and women do not have equal opportunities in discussion of fertility sexual maters, condom negotiation, the control of the body and generally in sexual decision. • 2. There is no significant difference in the decision making opportunity concerning sexuality among men and women in Nigeria. • 3. Level of education does not significantly influence the extent of sexual violence experienced by women in intimate relationship. • METHODOLOGY • The research involved a cross sectional survey conducted in three states in Southwest Nigeria. The population consists of all married women in established union aged 20-60 years who are currently living with their intimate partners. All women in the survey sample were 1000 in number, a characteristic of the sample include:- the researcher collected data through a self administered questionnaire titled sexual abuse and gender based questionnaire (SAGC)The questionnaire provided clear behavior description of experience to which subject could answer yes or no. Further information also dealt with the age and the level of education of the subject • The questionnaire was validated using face and content validity procedures. Experts ascertained that the instrument measures what was studied. Using Pearson product moment correlation, a test retest method was used to establish the reliability of the instrument. This involved 35 women from South Eastern part of the country and who would not be part of the final study. Data was analysed using chi-square, t- test and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. All the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significant.

18. Result • Question One: Is gender sexual violence common in Nigeria? This question was answered using frequency counts and percentage of responses of women in intimate union concerned with the extent of sexual violence experienced by them in their marriage.

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