Survey of unreported cases of domestic violence in two heterogeneous communities in Nigeria

Abstract

Women in Nigeria are reluctant to report cases of domestic violence to the police. This study examines the magnitude of domestic violence in Nigeria. It also examines respondents' levels of education, culture, religion, and tradition vis-à-vis unreported cases of domestic violence in two heterogeneous communities in Nigeria. This study surmises that the level of domestic violence could be reduced if women were given social support to report incidences of domestic violence to the police. Quantitative method of data collection was employed in this study. The respondents were drawn from women in Victoria Island, Lagos and Akure, Ondo State. Four hundred and sixty-two surveys were analyzed, 284 from Victoria Island, and 178 from Akure. The results show that culture, attitudes of police, and absence of social support contribute to the unwillingness of women to report cases of domestic violence. This paper concludes that police officers need to be educated on how to properly handle domestic violence cases.