Violence experienced by orphans in institutionalized care and family settings in Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Orphans are vulnerable to abuse and violence due to the precarious situation they find themselves in. Some of these abuses could differ based on where the orphans live. This study was therefore designed to compare the violence experienced by orphans in institutionalized and family settings. It also determined the influence of residential placement on violence experienced by orphans in orphanages and family settings in Nigeria. The study employed a concurrent mixed-methods research design. The sample comprised 3893 orphans (2418 living in family settings and 1475 living in orphanages) who were between the age ranges of 10–17 years. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select the sample for the study. A self-developed instrument titled “Orphans Needs and Vulnerability Questionnaire” was administered on the respondents. Data collected were analyzed using frequency count, percentages and chi-square. The results indicated that orphans experienced varying forms of violence in both family and institutional settings. The result further showed a prevalence of 1.6% for physical violence in the family setting and 0.2% in the orphanages. The results also revealed that flogging (1^st), fetching water from a far distance (2^nd) and verbal abuses (3^rd) were the most ranked violence experienced by orphans in the family settings while, flogging (1^st), severe/corporal punishment (2^nd) and verbal abuses (3^rd) were the most ranked violence experienced by orphans in the orphanages. Furthermore, the results showed that there was a significant influence of residential placement on violence experienced by orphans in Nigeria (χ² = 57.104, p < 0.05) with the family settings more engaged in violence against the orphans. The study concluded that orphans in family settings experienced more violence than orphans in orphanages. It is recommended that special intervention programmes to protect orphaned children from physical, psychological and sexual abuse in family settings should be put in place.

KEYWORDS:

• Violence
• orphans
• institutionalized care
• family setting

Acknowledgments

This research was funded by TETFund Nigeria as part of National Research Fund activities of the organization.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/17450128.2023.2253512.

Ethical considerations

Ethical clearance for the study was obtained from the Health Research Ethic Committee (HREC), Institute of Public Health of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria (Reference number – IPHOAU/12/1453, Date – 14 November 2019). Written and verbal consents were obtained from orphanages, homes and individual respondents who participated in the study. Every respondent had the right to withdraw from the study at any stage and no one was penalized for withdrawing or not participating in the study.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Tetfund nrf 2019 research on the needs and vulnerability assessment of orphans in orphanages and family settings in Nigeria .

Notes on contributors

Akinjide Gabriel Akintomide

Akinjide Akintomide is a Senior lecturer in the Department of Educational Foundations and Counselling, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. He obtained his PhD in Guidance and Counselling with special research focus on adolescents mental and reproductive health, vulnerabilities of orphans, aged and members of skipped generation household. He has published in various local and international publishing outlets.

Oyeyemi Bukola Babalola

Oyeyemi Bukola Babalola (PhD) is a Clinical psychologist and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Her broad research interests include assessing and managing Psychological distress, addiction and attitudinal change, focusing on improving the quality of life and psychological well-being of adolescents and Young Adults. She has a list of relevant publications both in national and international outlets.

Opeyemi Oyewunmi Ekundayo

Opeyemi Oyewunmi Ekundayo is an associate Professor in the department of Psychology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. her research interest includes human sexual behaviour, sexual violence, adolescents reproductive right and health.

Taofeek Kolawole Aliyu

Taofeek Kolawole Aliyu (PhD) is a senior lecturer at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, as well as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Department of Sociology and the Centre for Demographic and Ageing Research (CEDAR) at Umea University in Sweden. His extensive research revolves around family and urban sociology, with a particular emphasis on the health and well-being of family members and urban dwellers. Also, his research pursuits encompass various critical issues including the adolescents sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), the vulnerability and overall well-being of urban dwellers, ageing research, and explorations of social networking dynamics.

Monsurat Mojirayo Afolabi

Monsurat Mojirayo Afolabi, is a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Gender and Social Policy Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. She obtained a Ph.D. degree in Gender Studies from the University of Hull, United Kingdom. Her areas of interest include Gender Studies, Gender and Development, Human Resources Development, Economics and Sociology of Education. She has lectured, conducted researches and engaged in various community services at local, national and international levels. She has also published widely, locally and internationally in these areas. She serves as a member in the Editorial Board of African Journal of Gender and Development and was a reviewer for Journal of Women’s Studies International Forum (WSIF).

Joshua Olayemi Salami

SALAMI Joshua Olayemi (Ph.D.) is a lecturer in the Institute of Education, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. His areas of specialisation are Language, Oral Literature and Early Childhood Education and Development. His current research endeavours centre on the use of appropriate instructional strategies that could better enhance mastery of English Language by early learners and the use of literary theories in analysing texts, thereby projecting meanings more than hitherto intended by authors. His works have been published in reputable national and international Journals.

Olubukola Olakunbi Ojo

Olubukola Ojo (PhD) is a Professor of Health Counselling at the Department of Educational Foundations and Counselling, Faculty of Education, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile- Ife, Nigeria. She is a multidisciplinary academic with expertise in Monitoring and Evaluation from Stellenbosch University, South Africa.; Adolescent Health from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom; Research Management and Fund Raising Fundamentals. She is a seasoned academic with publications in reputable national and international journals. She has made significant contributions to scholarly publications in the areas of Health Counselling, Child Rights, Violence, HIV/AIDS, Gender and Development.