Bride Purchase
Institution of Marriage
Bride Purchase
Bride Purchase
Reasons Against Change
Nigerian cultural and religious beliefs promote patriarchy and the inferiority of women to men. Patriarchy guarantees gender inequality, allows, and encourages abuse as a norm of a woman’s life. The presence is visible throughout all of Nigeria and never denied (Bazza). Although many women dare not speak out about it, or contact the authorities, for fear of further inciting their abuser (Udobang). Independent human rights agencies and scientific testing verifies the extent of the problem. Abuse affects almost every aspect of a women’s life in Nigeria.
“Abusers may feel this need to control their partner because of low self-esteem, extreme jealousy, difficulties in regulating anger and other strong emotions, or when they feel inferior to the other partner in education and socioeconomic background” (Godsmith).
Women are abused for many reasons over which they often have no control. Some women face the potential of abuse as a result of decisions that have placed them in danger without their awarnesses. The point is that there are definable causes that initiate domestic violence against women. It is also the case, when women do not try to stop such actions, the abuser sees no need to stop. Women who have been taught by their elders that domestic violence is a part of their married relationship come to accept it as a fact. If they are do anything considered to be “wrong”, then they assume they “ought” to be punished and the person who is punishing them is justified for his action.
Nigerian culture has embedded the idea that men are in charge of women and due to that, men have the authority, indeed the right, perhaps, even the responsibility, to discipline their spouse. The cause may be as simple as “not obeying orders”, or “acting out” which was also a common reason. (Fawole etc.). While there are many causes of domestic violence, there are also contributing factors that allow domestic violence to continue and perpetuate as normal behavior.