Comparison of domestic violence against women in urban versus rural areas of southeast Nigeria

Figures & data

Table 1 Comparison of the sociodemographic characteristics of respondents

	Frequency (n [%])		P-value
	Rural women	Urban women
Age distribution (years)	376 (100)	460 (100)
15–19	12 (3.2)	4 (0.9)	0.32
20–24	44 (11.7)	72 (15.7)	0.41
25–29	80 (21.3)	132 (28.7)	0.19
30–34	100 (26.6)	132 (28.7)	0.75
35–39	48 (12.8)	64 (13.9)	0.83
40–44	24 (6.4)	48 (10.4)	0.30
45–49	68 (18.1)	8 (1.7)	<0.001*
Highest educational status
No formal education	88 (23.4)	4 (0.9)	<0.001*
Primary	108 (28.7)	8 (1.7)	<0.001*
Secondary	104 (27.7)	84 (18.3)	0.09
Tertiary	76 (20.2)	364 (79.1)	<0.001*
Occupation
Unemployed	120 (39.1)	20 (5.3)	<0.001*
Farming	96 (25.5)	36 (7.8)	0.002*
Teaching	16 (4.3)	32 (7.0)	0.35
Artisans	36 (9.6)	12 (2.6)	0.04*
Civil servants	48 (12.8)	140 (30.4)	0.003*
Trading	52 (13.8)	32 (7.0)	0.11
Professionals	8 (2.1)	88 (19.1)	<0.001*
Marital status of the women
Currently married	328 (87.2)	412 (89.2)	0.66
Separated	12 (3.2)	20 (4.3)	0.70
Divorced	4 (1.1)	0 (0)	0.31
Unmarried	32 (8.5)	28 (6.1)	0.42
Parity
0	72 (19.1)	172 (37.4)	0.004*
1	72 (19.1)	100 (21.7)	0.60
2–4	136 (36.2)	152 (33.0)	0.66
>4	96 (25.5)	36 (7.8)	<0.001*
Sex of children
No living child	84 (22.3)	180 (39.1)	0.01*
Male	68 (18.1)	68 (14.9)	0.57
Female	48 (12.8)	100 (21.7)	0.09
Both male and female	176 (46.8)	112 (24.3)	<0.001*

Note:

* Statistically significant.

Abbreviation: n, number.

Table 2 Comparison of types and periods of domestic violence

	Frequency (n [%])		P-value
	Rural women	Urban women
Type of violence	376 (100.0)	460 (100.0)
None	12 (3.2)	88 (19.1)	<0.01*
Physical	72 (19.1)	60 (13.0)	0.04*
Psychological	164 (43.6)	224 (48.7)	0.38
Sexual	24 (6.4)	20 (4.3)	0.21
More than one type	104 (27.7)	68 (14.7)	<0.01*
Physical violence	140 (100.0)	108 (100.0)
Beaten up	84 (60.0)	52 (48.1)	0.31
Objects thrown at victim	24 (17.1)	8 (7.4)	0.04*
Slapped	32 (22.9)	36 (33.3)	0.17
Flogged	0 (0.0)	12 (11.1)	<0.01*
Psychological violence	219 (100.0)	252 (100.0)
Shouting at victim	111 (50.7)	79 (31.3)	0.01*
Financial deprivation	45 (20.5)	65 (25.8)	0.29
Not talking to victim	36 (16.4)	48 (19.0)	0.54
Not coming home	– (–)	12 (4.8)	<0.01*
Coming late from work	21 (9.6)	30 (11.9)	0.47
Not eating victim’s food	6 (2.7)	18 (7.1)	0.04*
Period of violence	364 (100.0)	372 (100.0)
<12 months	222 (61.0)	245 (65.8)	0.46
1 year to <2 years	67 (18.4)	56 (15.1)	0.37
2–3 years	75 (20.7)	71 (19.1)	0.65

Note:

* Statistically significant.

Abbreviation: n, number.

Table 3 Comparison of the sociodemographic characteristics of reported perpetrators of domestic violence

	Frequency (n [%])		P-value
	Rural women	Urban women
Perpetrator of violence	376 (100.0)	460 (100.0)
Husband	284 (78.0)	315 (84.7)	0.20
Boyfriend	29 (8.0)	18 (4.8)	0.39
In-laws	51 (14.0)	39 (10.5)	0.52
Occupation
Unemployed	4 (1.1)	18 (4.8)	0.10
Farming	218 (59.9)	13 (3.5)	<0.001*
Teaching	17 (4.7)	42 (11.3)	0.12
Artisans	32 (8.8)	39 (10.5)	0.63
Civil service	40 (11.0)	131 (35.2)	<0.001*
Trading	44 (12.1)	96 (25.8)	0.01*
Professionals	9 (2.5)	33 (8.9)	0.07
Highest educational status
None	93 (25.5)	13 (3.5)	<0.001*
Primary	106 (29.1)	31 (8.3)	<0.001*
Secondary	131 (36.0)	83 (22.3)	0.03*
Tertiary	34 (9.4)	245 (65.9)	<0.001*

Note:

* Statistically significant.

Abbreviation: n, number.

Table 4 Comparison of the perception of domestic violence between rural and urban women

	Frequency (n [%])		P-value
	Rural women	Urban women
Perception	376 (100.0)	460 (100.0)
Always excusable	44 (11.7)	68 (14.8)	0.25
Sometimes excusable	220 (58.5)	136 (29.6)	0.01*
Not excusable	72 (19.1)	180 (39.1)	<0.01*
Undecided	40 (10.6)	76 (16.5)	0.03*
Justification
Going out without telling partner	108 (28.7)	53 (11.5)	0.01*
Neglects the children	104 (27.7)	47 (10.2)	0.01*
Argues with the partner	104 (27.7)	88 (19.1)	0.26
Refuses to have sex	30 (8)	61 (13.3)	0.03*
Burns the food	7 (1.9)	4 (0.9)	0.22
None	10 (2.7)	199 (43.3)	0.01*
More than one reason	13 (3.5)	8 (1.7)	0.12
Reaction
Report to authority	11 (2.9)	125 (27.2)	<0.01*
Keep it secret	113 (30.1)	105 (22.8)	0.07
Report to family	190 (50.5)	84 (18.3)	<0.01*
Report to in-laws	18 (4.8)	18 (3.9)	0.55
Report to a close friend	12 (3.2)	25 (5.4)	0.13
Report to a doctor	7 (1.9)	12 (2.6)	0.48
Report to a clergy	17 (4.5)	27 (5.9)	0.41
Undecided	8 (2.1)	64 (13.9)	<0.01*

Note:

* Statistically significant.

Abbreviation: n, number.

Table S1 Operational definitions of violence used in this study based on the World Health Organization’s Multi-country Study on Women’s Health and Domestic Violence against Women

Physical violence by an intimate partner

• Was slapped or had something thrown at her that could hurt her

• Was pushed or shoved

• Was hit with fist or something else that could hurt

• Was kicked, dragged or beaten up

• Was choked or burnt on purpose

• Perpetrator threatened to use or actually used a gun, knife, or other weapon against her

Sexual violence by an intimate partner

• Was physically forced to have sexual intercourse when she did not want to

• Had sexual intercourse when she did not want to because she was afraid of what partner might do

• Was forced to do something sexual that she found degrading or humiliating

Emotional (psychological) abuse by an intimate partner

• Was insulted or made to feel bad about herself

• Was belittled or humiliated in front of other people

• Perpetrator had done things to scare or intimidate her on purpose, for example, by the way he looked at her, by yelling, or smashing things

• Perpetrator had threatened to hurt someone she cared about

• Perpetrator had refused to eat food prepared by her

• Perpetrator had refused to come home to meet her