Date of Publication :30th May 2021

Abstract: Conscientious advocacy of women’s rights has been at the centre of gender discourse since Beijing’s Women Declaration in 1996. After the Beijing Declaration, women’s status has undoubtedly improved globally. Notwithstanding the sensitization to women’s rights has continued unabated, worldwide, the magnitude of intimate-partner violence (IPV) remains high. On a daily basis, in Nigeria’s print-media, there are various shocking reported-cases of IPV; e.g., homicide of an intimate- partner by another, stabbing with dangerous weapons, rape, aggravated assaults, etc. Survey of various print-media is used to gather information on reported cases of IPV and In-depth Interviews (IDIs) were conducted with 30 respondents who have experienced IPV for comparison, through snowballing technique, to complement the reported media generated data. The major finding is that IPV affects victims and entire families, particularly children. IPV results, mostly, from conflicts about finances, lack of trust, heavy alcohol-consumption, infidelity, etc. Men, most frequently, use it to resolve crisis from male-identity or inability to control women due to gross misunderstanding of gender-equality. The study suggests preventive interventions to further improving the status of women, especially in relation to poverty, and seriously attenuating the overarching cultural beliefs in patriarchy, violence in settling disputes, and heavy alcohol-consumption while providing education about wholesome family-life in consonance with the tenets of equity and gender equality.

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