OF OSINACHI AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

All the stakeholders must do more to stem the unsettling prevalence of domestic violence

Following a symbolic gesture of one-minute silence held in her honour, the Senate has urged the police and other relevant law enforcement agencies to investigate the death of renowned gospel artiste, Mrs. Osinachi Nwachukwu. Although the cause of her death is yet to be officially ascertained, allegations that she suffered sustained domestic abuse from her husband, Peter Nwachukwu, are rife. And in the wake of her death, many women are speaking out that the fear of being ostracised, the lack of material and financial resources and the general lack of sympathy and support from the public have contributed immensely to the growth of domestic violence in many Nigerian homes.

From physical and verbal abuse to rape and even murder, it is evident that the authorities are not doing enough to stem the tide of domestic violence which manifests itself in many forms in Nigeria. While spousal abuse cuts across both sexes, women are predominantly the victims. Yet abused women rarely report the violence they endure, for fear of being stigmatised by the society. Besides, the patriarchal interpretations within our various faiths preach endurance. Inevitably, the victim and the abuser (where summoned) are usually advised to go home and settle their differences, rather than make public the injury or the violence within.

While it is possible to institute criminal action against the abuser in the country, the investigative and prosecutorial capacities of our law enforcement agencies are a huge disincentive for taking such action. Civil suits for damages can be filed where a conviction is obtained, but again, the system takes too long, giving sufficient time for interventions by ‘well-meaning’ relations as well as religious and community leaders.

It is indeed imperative that the authorities make more efforts to understand the underlying causes and dynamics of this growing violence, if only to redeem the stability of the family unit, and consequently, the larger society. We cannot continue to ignore the upsurge in these occurrences, for the implications on our collective psyche, as citizenry, and our development as a nation, are ominous. More disturbing is that complaints of violence and abuse (against family members) made at our police stations, where victims can summon the courage to do so, are often dismissed as domestic matters, especially where such violence occurs between spouses.

Assault and battery, even though serious offences in our law books, are hardly ever perceived as crimes by many of our law enforcement agencies, unless the acts ultimately culminate in death. Besides, a pattern where survivors of sexual violence become targets of intimidation with the aid of law enforcement agents is unconscionable and needs to stop. The police need to seek for specialisation in handling cases reported by these unfortunate women, and alerted to the fact that battery and assault remain felonies in our law books, even where inflicted between spouses.

The media should continue to bring to the fore these incidents, if only to arouse our collective outrage and compel serious actions to stop gender-based violence. We also need an institutional structure where these incidents (including the perpetrators and victims) could be analysed with a view to strategically addressing all the challenges in a comprehensive and structured manner. Finally, our governments, at all levels, need to sit up to address these concerns. That is the only way to assure our women and girls that we care about their welfare and wellbeing, and the health and prosperity of the nation.