Gender-based violence in Nigeria: A cross-sectional study of the magnitude, likely risk factors and attitudes towards intimate partner violence against women

Globally, a common manifestation of gender-based abuse is intimate partner violence (IPV) against women. IPV is a serious public health problem that comes with a debilitating toll on women, their families, and the immediate environment in which they reside. Research, mostly conducted in developed countries, has identified some likely factors responsible for violence and has also explored attitudes that could be supportive of abuse. However, developing countries around the world, especially those in Africa, are still far behind in making tangible impact on exploring these issues. Considering this paucity of information and with the aim of contributing to the IPV knowledge base in the developing world, a cross-sectional population-based survey involving 719 Nigerian women (aged 18 years and above, currently or previously in cohabiting or non-cohabiting relationships) was conducted using a detailed pretested questionnaire to solicit data on demographics, socioeconomic, attitudinal, and behavioral characteristics, as well as those pertaining to experiences of IPV. On performing relevant descriptive statistical analyses on the data collected, the results show that lifetime and current prevalence of IPV are 25.5% and 16.7%, respectively. There is also an indication that women across urban and rural areas have a relatively high level of acceptance towards IPV (wife-beating). Results from logistic regression analysis to identify the predictors of violence show that factors such as women's and partners' educational attainments, partnership age and educational disparities, partnership discord, among others, are predictive of violence