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Domestic Violence and Reproductive Health

A Qualitative Description of Women’s Experience in Lagos, Nigeria

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The Palgrave Handbook of Global Social Problems

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Abstract

This chapter presents reviewed research findings and case studies presented. The findings from the case studies were the results from a study conducted among 25 participants who were survivors of domestic violence in Lagos, Nigeria. Research studies found that the lifetime prevalence of physical or sexual partner violence, or both, varied from 15% to 71% in 10 low- and middle-income countries. Causes of domestic violence identified include being a smoker/alcoholic, low level of education, type of occupation, financial dependency, temperament, and childhood history of observing and experiencing abuse. Other factors are being married more than once as a woman, divorced or separated, marriage at a young age, larger family size, and psychoactive substance use. Consequences of domestic violence include physical, psychological, mental health disorder, and health and reproductive health emergencies. The different types of domestic violence experienced by women include physical abuse/violence, sexual violence, verbal and emotional violence, spiritual violence or cultural violence, social violence, and economic or financial violence. The effects of domestic violence on women’s health include bowel disorders, pelvic pain and several reproductive tract infections, unhappy sexual life, unintended pregnancy, inability to use contraceptives, maternal mortality, and risk of pregnancy complications, induced abortion, miscarriage, and low birth weight.

The universality of domestic violence against women makes it an urgent social problem that must be addressed holistically as it affects not just the health of the woman but also that of the unborn child, those who might be pregnant, those nursing children, their family relationships, the community, and the society. Advocacy, continuing education, and research are the engine room for addressing domestic violence against women and the effects on their reproductive health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

    Samuel Ojima Adejoh

  2. Department of Social Work, University of Free State, Free State, South Africa

    Samuel Ojima Adejoh

  3. Department of Social Work, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

    Bether Glory Anozie & Abolaji Awodein

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  1. Samuel Ojima Adejoh
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  2. Bether Glory Anozie
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  3. Abolaji Awodein
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Correspondence to Samuel Ojima Adejoh .

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Adejoh, S.O., Anozie, B.G., Awodein, A. (2022). Domestic Violence and Reproductive Health. In: The Palgrave Handbook of Global Social Problems. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-68127-2_37-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-68127-2_37-1

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