Community Attitudes Towards Violence Against Women, and Lived Experiences of Family Violence and Abuse During Childhood in Rural Eastern Nigeria: Implications for Policy and Programming

Figures & data

Table 1 Socio-Demographic Characteristics of the Respondents

Variables	Males (%)	Females (%)
Mean Age (years±SD)	46.5±16.8	43.3±16.9
Median Age [IQR]	44 [34.5–57.0]	39.0 [30.0–55.0]
Age group (years)
15–25	5 (6.5)	21 (10.3)
26–35	19 (24.7)	62 (30.5)
36–45	17 (22.1)	43 (21.2)
>45	36 (46.8)	77 (37.9)
Educational level
None	7 (9.1)	52 (25.6)
Primary	27 (35.1)	65 (32.0)
Secondary	42 (54.5)	82 (40.4)
Tertiary	1 (1.3)	4 (2.0)
Partner’s education
None	10 (13.0)	46 (22.7)
Primary	27 (35.1)	69 (34.0)
Secondary	40 (51.9)	83 (40.9)
Tertiary	0 (0.0)	5 (2.5)
Relationship status
Single in committed relationship	6 (7.8)	2 (1.0)
Single in casual relationship	1 (1.3)	3 (1.5)
Married	67 (87.0)	158 (77.8)
Divorced	0 (0.0)	4 (2.0)
Widowed	3 (3.9)	36 (17.7)
Decision-maker on major life issues
Me alone	12 (15.6)	27 (13.3)
Joint with partner	62 (80.5)	169 (83.3)
Partner alone	3 (3.9)	7 (3.4)
Marital status and type
Currently unmarried	7 (9.1)	5 (2.5)
Monogamy	50 (64.9)	112 (55.2)
Polygamy	20 (26.0)	86 (42.4)
Duration (years) in marriage (n=268)
1–5	17 (22.1)	38 (19.7)
6–10	13 (16.9)	35 (17.2)
>10	40 (51.9)	125 (61.6)
Religion
Christianity	61 (79.2)	202 (99.5)
Traditional	16 (20.8)	1 (0.5)
Occupation
Farmer	34 (44.2)	104 (51.2)
Civil servant	8 (10.4)	15 (7.4)
Self-employed	13 (16.9)	18 (8.9)
Artisan	6 (7.8)	5 (2.5)
Trader	13 (16.9)	57 (28.1)
Student	0 (0.0)	3 (1.5)
Not working	1 (1.3)	1 (0.5)
Others	2 (2.6)	0 (0.0)
No of living children
None	5 (6.5)	16 (7.9)
1–3	21 (27.3)	67 (33.0)
4–6	16 (20.8)	77 (37.9)
>6	35 (45.5)	43 (21.2)

Table 2 Childhood Witnessing and Experiences of Sexual and Non-Sexual Abuse

Variable	Frequency	Percentage (%)
Ever witnessed parental physical, sexual or other forms of violence as a child
No	223	79.6
Yes	33	11.8
Do not know	24	8.6
If yes how many times (assuming a 3-month period) n=33
Rarely (once in 3 months)	12	4.3
Sometimes (monthly)	18	6.4
Often (4 times in 3 months)	2	0.7
Always (5 or more times in 3 months)	1	0.4
Ever physically abused in childhood
No	150	53.6
Yes	130	46.4
Mean age of first physical abuse (years±SD) [n=130]	9.88±4.3
Forced non-penetrative sexual abuse (touching) in childhood
Never	241	86.1
Rarely	7	2.5
Sometimes	32	11.4
Often	0	0.0
Always	0	0.0
Forced penetrative sexual abuse in childhood
Never	209	74.6
Rarely	10	3.6
Sometimes	61	21.8
Often	0	0.0
Always	0	0.0

Table 3 Attitude Towards Intimate Partner Violence Among the Respondents

Variable	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Undecided	Agree	Strongly Agree
A woman is supposed to only speak when authorized by a man	79 (28.2)	110 (39.3)	3 (1.1)	52 (18.6)	36 (12.9)
A man hitting or insulting a woman (or other forms of abuse) is not wrong	138 (49.3)	108 (38.6)	1 (0.4)	16 (5.7)	17 (6.1)
In the participant’s culture, a woman is inferior to a man	43 (15.4)	57 (20.4)	5 (1.8)	139 (49.6)	36 (12.9)
A man that beats his woman is man enough	124 (44.3)	126 (45.0)	1 (0.4)	12 (4.3)	17 (6.1)
A woman should not be involved in major decision-making in the relationship	108 (38.6)	126 (45.0)	1 (0.4)	23 (8.2)	22 (7.9)
Victims of IPV should be provided with special care and support	17 (6.1)	6 (2.1)	3 (1.1)	164 (58.6)	90 (32.1)
A woman is a man’s possession (especially in marriage settings	16 (5.7)	18 (6.4)	3 (1.1)	118 (42.1)	125 (44.6)
A perpetrator of IPV should be prosecuted and brought to justice	9 (3.2)	5 (1.8)	2 (0.7)	92 (32.9)	172 (61.4)
Communities should enact legislation against IPV and prosecute offenders	4 (1.4)	4 (1.4)	2 (0.7)	108 (38.6)	162 (57.9)

Table 4 Predictors of Attitude Towards Gender-Based Violence

Independent Variable	Adjusted Odds Ratio	95% CI for AOR		P value
		Lower	Upper
Age (years)
≤45	1.28	0.48	3.38	0.619
>45	1
Educational status
Primary and less	1
Secondary and more	7.74	1.69	35.54	0.009*
Marital setting
Monogamy	2.83	1.08	7.42	0.035*
Polygamy	1

Note: *Significantly associated.