Male Partners’ Socio-demographic Characteristics, Attitude and Behaviours as Predictors of Intimate Partner Violence in Nigeria – Evidence from National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2013

Abstract

Introduction: The World Health Organization defines intimate partner violence or domestic violence as any behaviour within an intimate relationship that causes physical, psychological or sexual harm to those in the relationship. The Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2013 reported that about 1 in 3 married women 15-49 years (28%) ever experienced intimate physical violence, while a quarter reported ever having experienced emotional, physical, or sexual violence from their husbands/partners. Methods: This study utilized the Nigeria 2013 NDHS data for the univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify the male partners’ characteristics that were the predictors of physical and sexual intimate partners’ violence in Nigeria. Results: The mean age of the respondent was 28. ± 7.3 while that of the male partners was 37±7.5 years. Majority of the women significantly had not attained any formal education 3942(45.5%) compared to their male partners. Most were married (97.1%), some involved in trading, (36.9%), while the male partners were mainly farmers (37.5%) and service providers (29.9%). The odd of occurrence of physical violence was about 5 times higher at age >=55 years (OR=4.6, 95%CI=1.0-21.1) than ages 15-24 years. Husbands/partners with only Primary or secondary education attainment, unemployed, in a monogamous union, alcoholic or exhibit controlling behaviours were associated with higher odds of physical and sexual IPV (OR>1) than those who did not. Conclusion: The age of the husband, educational status, income, alcoholism and controlling behaviours were major predictors of IPVs in Nigeria during the NDHS 2013.