Half of Nigerian women have experienced domestic violence

It seems like domestic violence is too common: More than 31 percent of women in the United States have been physically abused by an intimate partner at some point in their lives, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In South Africa, it is 1 in every 4 women.

That troubling statistic doubles in Nigeria as 1 in 3 Nigerian women have experienced domestic violence according to a United Kingdom based women empowerment coach and cousellor, Ms Felicity Okolo who conducted conducted more than 200, 000 phone interviews. Osaseye keeping in mind that most cases of domestic violence in Nigeria are unreported.

“Persons who are involved in domestic violence do not stop at wife battering. It continues with child abuse and impacts negatively on the family,” Okolo said.

“Religious institutions have to be educated more on how to handle abusive relationships. Clerics have different views on how to handle domestic violence.

“Some will advise that the parties involved should keep enduring, pray and go and be a good wife and submit to their husbands,” Okolo said.

She advised couples or women facing abusive marriage to go for counseling, saying: “You have to be alive to obey God’s words.

“If it is not working get help, get counseling,” Okolo said.

Most Nigerian women stay in abusive relationship because of religious beliefs, family values, culture and money.