THEORIES AND CAUSES OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Gender-based violence (GBV) or violence against women and girls (VAWG), is a global pandemic that affects 1 in 3 women in their lifetime. This issue is not only devastating for survivors of violence and their families, but also entails significant social and economic costs. Gender-based violence refers to any type of harm that is perpetrated against a person or group of people because of their factual or perceived sex, gender, sexual orientation and/or gender identity. Witnessing violence, in general, has been associated with emotional, psychological trauma to mention the least. There are so many theories with respect to violence ranging from psychoanalytic theory: object relation theory and attachment theory, Social theory of family violence encompassing control theory and resource theory. Sexual abuse is one of the numerous forms of violence. The study also looks at the causes of violence in the home. The methodology adopted in this study is doctrinal involving the analytic and comparative consideration of existing legal instruments on the issue within the Nigerian legal system. The methods of data collection adopted in this work were from primary sources such as statutes, laws and judicial decisions; and secondary sources such as books, journal articles, newspaper, and internet materials. It was founded that violence in the homes are caused mostly by family upbringing and moral belief, cultural and religious belief, financial issues and alcoholism.