EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON THE LIVELIHOOD OF RURAL HOUSEHOLDS OF MUPUN ETHNIC GROUP IN PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA.

Abstract

This study assessed the effect of domestic violence on the livelihood of rural farming households in Plateau State, Nigeria. Interview schedule complimented with questionnaire were used to obtain information from a total of 124 respondents. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution, percentages and mean. The results revealed that majority of the farmers were married (69.5%) and educated (96.8%) with a mean age of 39years. The result also shows that farmers suffers from various kinds of violence from their partners ranging from physical (mostly (97.6%) by hitting, kicking, slapping and beating), psychological (mostly (96.8%) by yelling and screaming) and sexual violence (mostly (99.2%) by withholding sex). While the existing social norms, traditions and culture (𝑋̅=4.23), extra marital affairs (𝑋̅ =4.17) and alcoholism (𝑋̅=3.98) were the major causes of domestic violence among rural households. These attributes and traditions had negative effects on farmers’ livelihood in the manner of decline in social interaction with other farmers (𝑋̅=4.56), decrease productivity in labour input (𝑋̅=4.55) and decrease adoption of new technologies (𝑋̅=4.35). However, farmers believed that economic empowerment of women (𝑋̅=4.48), removing norms against gender mainstreaming (𝑋̅=4.45) and avoiding force/arranged marriage (𝑋̅=4.43) and dialogue with kinsmen (𝑋̅=4.42) were perceived as the most effective strategies to curbing domestic violence in the area. Thus, it was recommended that rural famers should be given adequate orientations on marital affairs as well as the health implications of domestic violence on rural economy.