Assessment of the Forms of Domestic Violence against Men in Ondo and Osun States, Nigeria

Abstract

Globally, domestic violence is a consistent social issue that is deeply ingrained in our system across geographical locations, cultural beliefs and norms, and among different genders. The foundation of domestic violence is always about women because they are disproportionately affected by the persistence of the violence. Scholars have argued that the issue surrounding gender-based violence is practically centred on women, where male victims are neglected and marginalised due to the social and gender norms that society places on them because of their patriarchal nature. However, scholarly evidence has shown that men also witness violence, with an increase in the volume of literature surrounding the phenomenon. These expose how society and the institutional structures deliberately exclude men due to their masculinity, silence, and social norms ingrained in the system. These show that men also witness violence from their partners. This is a qualitative study that used primary and secondary data from interviews, document analysis, and the extant literature. It unravelled the reality of domestic abuse against the male gender to argue that GBV goes beyond feminist victimhood. Experiences shared by participants indicated that male victims of GBV are usually coerced into silence because of societal perception and cultural assumptions of male dominance in domestic affairs. The study advocates an inclusive gender approach to violence, regardless of gender, ensuring adequate support services that are equitable and just to male victims.