ABSTRACT

One of Nigeria’s biggest public health issues is domestic violence. It refers to gender-based acts of violence that hurt an individual physically, sexually, emotionally, mentally, or economically. It is one of the most pervasive human rights violations. This study aims to determine how the media has influenced Nigerian society’s perception of domestic abuse.

The study focused on the couples in Ikeja, Lagos, and used a sample of 140 respondents. Three research questions and two research hypotheses were established to guide the research effort.

It was determined that studies of mass media representation predominate in the field. These studies show that society’s ambivalence and confusion over violence against women are commonly reflected in the media.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   Background to the Study

There have been horrific reports of domestic violence in all the country’s nooks and crannies for some time in Nigerian society. If the news story about cults, prostitution, or factories that make babies is not trending in the country’s nooks and crannies, it can be about a husband killing his wife or vice versa. In many instances, it may be the result of a father abusing his daughter sexually in order to get understanding of her. Nigerian women have experienced barter rape and even murder at the hands of members of their own family, especially the nuclear family, for alleged transgressions ranging from failing to prepare meals on time to visiting relatives without their husband’s consent. Many families, especially women, suffer chemical and acid attacks by their spouses or partners, which result in excruciating pain or disfigurement and occasionally even result in the victims’ deaths (Simon, 2016). According to the American Psychiatric Association (2005) and Oifig and Tánaiste (1997), domestic violence can include physical, sexual, emotional, financial, and psychological abuse and affects all social groups in society.

Domestic violence is defined as the willful and ongoing abuse of any family member in a way that results in harm, suffering, or pain (Aihie Ose, 2009). It is any abusive treatment of a family member (physically or psychologically) by another person, which is against the law and a violation of fundamental human rights. It entails abusive behavior toward intimate partners and other people, sexual assault on children, marital rape, and detrimental customs for women. Domestic violence happens everywhere (Dahlberg and Krug, 2002, UNICEF, 2005). Domestic violence affects families in a variety of ways, affecting those from various socioeconomic, racial, educational, and religious origins. According to a report by Djaden and Thoennes (2002), each year in the United States, women encounter roughly 4.8 million physical attacks and rapes involving intimate partners, while men experience about 2.9 million such assaults. Domestic violence is apparently common in West Africa, and some communities even sanction it to some level.

In Nigerian society, domestic violence is not a recent phenomenon. We woke up to read of murder and other acts of violence. Domestic violence occurs in every sphere of society. It affects people of all ages, classes of working women and stay-at-home wives, religious believers and atheists, educated and illiterate people, married and unmarried people. Domestic violence is typically considered in local communities as the fault of women who nag, disobey, or attempt to usurp the man’s position as the head of the household. It is often referred as as a form of treatment that allows a guy to easily vent his rage or frustration on his wife or kids, who are seen to be “lesser beings.” Many women now concur that, depending on the situation, physical abuse may occasionally be acceptable. Most women in this situation suffer in silence, hoping one day their husbands will change their ways and have a change of heart. Another factor in the quiet is the stigma and humiliation it will cause.

It is challenging to estimate the level of domestic violence in Nigeria because the nation’s official statistics on this issue are inadequately recorded. Additionally, domestic violence occurrences frequently go undetected (ibid; AI 31 May 2005; Eze-Anaba 2006, 7; UK 25 May 2007, 96). Women are reported as avoiding reporting domestic violence due to a variety of factors, such as respect for tradition, ignorance of their legal rights (VOA, 4 June 2007), pressure from family members to maintain calm in the home, and fear of the abuser’s retaliation, the anxiety that their police report won’t be taken seriously, as well as the worry about their financial security (AI 31 May 2005, 7). As a result, this study intends to critically examine the evaluation of the impact of mass media in raising awareness of domestic abuse in Nigeria.

 

1.2   Statement of the Problem

The victims of domestic violence may experience psychiatric disorders as one effect of the assault. In Nigeria, women tend to be the targets of this antisocial behavior in some ways. The societal threat that has mostly endangered women and children has been addressed by a number of human rights organizations, civil society groups, and concerned individuals. The mainstream media is anticipated to have a crucial role in raising awareness of sexual violence incidents and amplifying the voices of those who are fighting against it.

High unemployment rates have been found to increase the frequency of domestic violence (Catalano, Lind, Rosenblatt and Novaco, 2003). They discovered that jobless people could experience anger and frustration. They called this the “provocative effect” since it demonstrates how being unemployed engenders resentment in otherwise supportive personal relationships. Other risk factors include tradition and cultural norms in traditional African cultures that normalize child abuse and wife beating. Obi and Ozumba (2007) discovered that income inequality favoring women, powerful in-laws, educated women, and couples in the same age group were all strongly associated with domestic violence.

The communities, news organizations, religious organizations, institutions, bloggers, and the government at all levels must all be involved in the effort to combat the threat of domestic violence in Nigeria. Seminars and workshops must be organized, where experienced counselors will assist in spreading the anti-domestic violence campaign. To emphasize the fact that domestic violence acts as a breeding ground for violence in society, it is important to raise awareness at these forums. Therefore, the evaluation of the role of the media in raising awareness of domestic abuse in Nigeria would be the main emphasis of this study.

 

1.3   Objectives of the Study

The objective of this study is to assess the impact of mass media in campaigning about domestic violence in Nigeria. However, the specific objectives are:

1. i) To study the various types of mass media available in campaigning on domestic violence in Nigeria
2. ii) To determine how mass media has helped in creating awareness on domestic violence in Nigeria

iii) To identify the ethical principles that must be considered by mass media in creating awareness on domestic violence

 

1.4   Research Questions

The following are some of the questions which this study intends to answer:

1. i) What are the various types of mass media available in campaigning on domestic violence in Nigeria?
2. ii) In what ways has mass media helped in creating awareness on domestic violence in Nigeria?

iii) What are ethical principles that must be considered by mass media in creating awareness on domestic violence?

 

1.5   Research Hypotheses 

The following shall be the research hypotheses to be tested:

1. i)  Mass media do not give prominence to domestic violence issues.
2. ii) Mass media give prominence to domestic violence issues.

iii) Mass media do not very often report domestic violence matters.

1. iv) Mass media very often report domestic violence matters.

 

1.6   Significance of the Study

This study examines the role of the media in Nigeria’s domestic abuse awareness campaigns. This study will concentrate on reports of domestic abuse from various social networking sites, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Whatsapp, Snapchat, and others, and it will raise users’ awareness of the value of using the media in society. In addition, by articulating statistics and other domestic violence-related issues as reported by the media, the general people can comprehend and recognize the gravity of that Anti social behavior. The study will also give the government the necessary information about the various domestic violence cases that exist in the nation as well as the solutions that are required for aiding victims of domestic violence, most notably by establishing rehabilitation facilities that will improve their social and psychological well-being. Additionally, because it provides academic exercise material and a framework for future research, this study will be helpful to adults, students, and mass communication researchers.

 

1.7   Scope of the Study

The study looks into the role of the media in Nigeria’s domestic violence awareness campaigns. Numerous mass media outlets in the nation are stating that it will be impossible to adequately cover issues of domestic abuse against women and children. As a result, the scope of this study will be restricted to mass media. The study will concentrate on the treatment of domestic violence, such as rape, men’s physical abuse of women, and physical assault by a couple. However, incidences of physical assaults (couples bartering) as reported by various mass media were the study’s main emphasis.

 

1.8   Limitation of the study

The sole obstacle the researcher had to overcome was time, as the study’s completion date conflicted with the researcher’s academic schedule. This proved challenging because the researcher had to miss courses in order to complete the study.

 

1.9   Operational Definitions of Terms

The following terms were used in the course of this study:

Coverage: the process of reporting various cases of domestic violence like physical assault, rape, nagging etc. through newspapers like The Punch and Vanguard.

Domestic violence: the intentional and persistent abuse of anyone in the home in a way that causes pain, distress or injury

Mass media: It refers to a web based services that allow the individuals to construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system, articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection and view, and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system.

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