Ignorance, drugs fuelling domestic violence in North West

Ignorance, drugs fuelling domestic violence in North West
Survey
Kaduna, May 29, 2018 (NAN) Stakeholders in some states in the North West have attributed the spate of domestic violence in the country to use of illicit drugs among couples in the region.
The stakeholders, including clerics and various experts, also identified neglect of religious injunctions on marriage and failure of couples to live up to marital responsibilities as other factors encouraging domestic violence.
The respondents across Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi and Katsina States expressed their views in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the new face of domestic violence facing the country.
Dr Adamu Bello-Kwasarawa, the Commander, Sokoto State Hisbah Commission, said ignorance of marital responsibilities have contributed immensely to domestic violence in the state where 48,000 domestic violence cases were documented in 2017.
He said that already, the commission had documented 2,160 cases of domestic violence in the state from January to April this year.
“Investigation conducted by the commission officials handling the disputes revealed that ignorance of marital responsibilities and failure to meet set responsibilities as the major causes of domestic violence,’’ Kwasarawa said.
He also said drugs play a part in the violence, citing example of a woman who used her teeth to severe her husband’s manhood during oral sex.
“The wife was intoxicated and out of her senses, and it was the husband who provides the illicit drugs they take at home,’’ he said.
He said the commission has 106 offices with 10,260 workers across the 23 local government areas and handles between 15 and 25 cases of matrimonial disputes daily.
“Most couples have no sound knowledge of marriage responsibilities and knowing the physical and psychological nature of humans, disagreements are bound to occur in such situations.’’
He said the commission planned increased awareness campaigns and sermons, but said parents must play their roles as provided by God in guiding their children right including the selection of life partners.
In Kano, an Islamic Scholar, Hajiya Hafsat Abdullahi, also said that domestic violence emerged mostly from negligence of marital duties.
She stressed that Islam has provided specific mandatory roles for husbands and wives which if adhered to would create a perfect home.
“What is new to us today is the brutality done by women to men to the extent that some even kill the husbands.
“In my opinion, such cases may also be the result of accumulated torture by the men on their women,’’ Abdullahi said.
She stressed that parental upbringing play key role in the behaviour of couples, as those who were decent, knowledgeable often seek other solutions in settling problems instead of resorting to violence.
Hajiya Farida Muhammad, Publicity Secretary, International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Kebbi State, said some of the cases were due to extreme jealousy and frustration.
“When a woman is pushed to the wall by her husband and she has nobody to defend her at that time she may lose her control and attack the man using whatever weapon at her disposal, and sometimes it is in self defence.”
She agreed that ignorance is helping to push the cases of domestic violence and suggested the setting up of marriage counselling centres in all wards in the country.
“In Saudi Arabia, they have marriage counselling units where prospective couples go for counselling preparatory to their wedding.
“They are taught the basic principles of marriage, possible challenges and how to tackle them, as well as the importance of patience in marriage among others,’’ said Muhammad.
Sheikh Umar Salah, an Islamic scholar in Birnin Kebbi, also said: “Many people nowadays copy Western marriage lifestyle and deviated from the true teachings of Islam.
“In Western society, there are no specified-documented rules and regulations guiding marital life as provided in Islam where the wife and husband have specific compelling responsibilities.
“If there is misunderstanding among the couples, they take the matter to their parents or elders in the community. That is what we know in Islam, but owing to the integration of globalisation our women copy what they see in the movies and Western literature and then apply it in our context.
“The danger of these is that it leads to irreconcilable mistrust and disagreement and eventual domestic violence and spousal murder,” he noted.
Salah advised prospective couples to seek knowledge, especially the Islamic jurisprudence on marriage, its conditions, the contractual obligations and ways to solve marital disagreements.
Some men who were victims of domestic violence said they found themselves in very difficult situation, as even law enforcement agents don’t give priority to their cases.
One of the victims, Alhaji Shehu Altine of Badariya area in Birnin Kebbi, said his wife burnt his only house simply because he wanted to marry another wife, and there was nothing he could do to seek redress.
Another victim, Mr Emmanuel Okon, a handicap, who resides in Sabon Tasha, Kaduna, said it was painful when most people don’t believe that men are also victims of domestic violence.
“People just laugh when I narrate my ordeal instead of offering useful advice or intervening.
“When I went to the police to file a complaint against my former wife the initial response was that of amusement, and when I was able to finally convince them that my complaint was real, the response  was, ‘So hit her back’’.
He further stated that unless society can address the stigma surrounding male victims, the problem would continue to grow, with violent and deadly consequences.
On his part, Isaiah Amos, who lived with his abused uncle for five years, said the woman subjected the husband to physical injuries, starvation, isolation and had a way of totally manipulating him.
“My uncle was too afraid to tell anyone of the abuse on him, even though his wife even uses boiling water and knives on him.
“Whenever I tell our relation about it, he always denied it because he was too ashamed of it and he felt he will be called a `lesser man”.
Amos said men should be encouraged to come out and talk about the abuse they face in their homes in order to be free.
A Sociologist, Mr Sunny Aminu, also advised victims to speak out.
“If you feel that someone close to you is being subjected to domestic violence you need to speak out.
“Many friends and relatives are reluctant to intervene out of respect for the individual’s personal boundary; however caring about the person involves compassionate intervention, whatever you do, do not simply look the other way and remain silent,” he said.
Aminu said that the victims should also ensure that they get help by contacting elders, the police or groups who may help.
A community leader in Sokoto, Alhaji Hashiru Yusuf, said that an effective response to domestic violence require multiple approach including long-term follow up and assistance to victims.
Yusuf said there should also be conscious efforts to change cultural norms and attitude to marriage, and legal provisions to dissuade perpetrators.
Hajia Aisha Bawa of Women Networking and Development Initiative, Sokoto State Chapter, said health professionals should be retrained to identify victims of domestic violence and offer them not only medical attention but also psycho-social support.
“The health sector can play a vital role in preventing violence against women, helping to identify abuse early, providing victims with the necessary treatment and referring them to appropriate care.
“Health services must be places where victims feel safe, are treated with respect, not stigmatised, and where they can receive quality, informed support.’’
A gynaecologist, Mrs Seyi Oyebo, also said comprehensive health sector response to the problem is needed, particularly in addressing the reluctance of victims to seek help.
“Domestic abuse is a largely invisible crime, occurring mainly behind closed doors; it is often difficult to measure it accurately, and women are often reluctant or afraid to report it to the police.
“Many women whose experiences of domestic abuse are confined to psychological or coercive abuse may not even define themselves as `abused women’ since there is little education about what non-violent abuse consists of.’’
Oyebo added that domestic abuse leads to an average of 100 women and 30 men being murdered annually.
All the respondents called for adequate enlightenment by clerics, experts and civil society organisations as well as proactive measures and sanctions by governments to curb the new face of domestic violence in the country. (NAN)
Reporters/MZA/MST
Edited by Maharazu Ahmed/Muhammad Suleiman Tola