We often hear about women suffering spousal abuse but the outcome of a new Doctoral study at the University of Ibadan has confirmed that more men now suffer spousal abuse in Lagos, the commercial hub of Nigeria.
The latest study revealed that many married men are victims of spousal abuse but suffer in silence because “the society does not believe men can be victims of spousal abuse, hence, the non-disclosure of such experience for fear of stigmatization.”
This was part of the findings of a doctoral thesis carried out by Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma entitled ‘Spousal abuse against men in Lagos State, Nigeria.’
Under the supervision of renown Criminologist and former Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Adeyinka Aderinto, the study found that married men among the sampled population in Kosofe, Lagos Mainland, Agege, Mushin and Ikorodu, are victims of different forms of spousal abuse.
According to Chukwuma, married men suffer emotional abuse mostly, followed by sexual abuse, physical and economic abuses.
She explained that men who are older than their wives experienced more abuse than men who are younger than their wives.
According to her, married men whose wives were not in their first marriage were two times more likely to experience spousal abuse while men in polygamous marriage are less likely to be victims of spousal abuse.
The Criminologist, who successfully defended her thesis at the Department of Sociology, stated that despite being abused, “men would not report because they feared reactions from friends and family, did not want third-party interference and because they were still financially dependent on their wives.”
Dr. Chukwuma, who noted that spousal abuse against men is under reported despite its prevalence in Lagos, asked that federal and state governments should establish centers to deal with male victims of spousal abuse and prosecute female perpetrators.
