Domestic Violence: The Sworn Enemy of Conjugal Ties

Domestic violence is one of the inimical and vicious trends that has resulted in many broken homes and further sets the society ablaze with criminality and gross immorality.

Domestic violence as wrongfully perceived by the majority is a violent act by a husband towards his wife. However, this global perspective is wrong as it fails to acknowledge the fact that women  as well, are capable of perpetrating hostility against their husbands. It’s therefore, imperative to note that Domestic violence can be stirred up by man or woman in the home. Domestic violence could be physical or mental violence.

Among the numerous factors which can incite domestic violence in a home are, ‘Ideological differences’ and ‘marital infidelity’. These are perhaps the prime causes of Domestic violence known Today.

Domestic violence springs from ideological differences which is attributed to the differences in the couple’s upbringing. With the marriage knot bringing together the two (2) total strangers from different roots – thereby, making perseverance and tolerance the tools for overcoming the misunderstandings and conflicts that Ensue.

Domestic violence is the outcome of the failure of Perseverance and Tolerance to take their rightful positions in a marital home.

In the case of Marital infidelity, Many men and women have proven themselves to be unfaithful husbands and wives respectively. Men and women engage in illicit sexual intercourse after marriage, and when they are discovered by their spouses, it provokes unreserved aggression from them. There have been many reported cases of men and  women who stabbed their spouses to death or have them shot on discovering their hidden affairs. This dreadful circumstance has rendered many young children  orphans in the society deprived of the normal lifestyle they could have had.

In addition, the pervasive growth of Domestic Violence in Nigeria is attributable to the  current economic downturn in the country. The fact remains undeniable that money is central to a happy family life. Therefore, Domestic violence is inevitable in a family that is economically deprived. It’s a   norm in Nigeria to see a woman engage in fight or quarrel with her husband when  he cannot live up to his onerous responsibilities of providing the basic necessities of life for the family. Hence, Domestic violence also find its feet in a home that is poverty-stricken.

Consequently, this deadly scourge ‘Domestic violence’ has harmed the society far more than is realized, as children from families involved in Domestic violence and the society at large bear the brunt of this mishap. The children are as a result of this, emotionally traumatised which pave the way for them to become misfits in the society.

Furthermore, Domestic violence has led to upward spiral of crime rates in the society as most of the crimes committed in our society today are carried out by people who are products of broken-homes which emerge from Domestic violence.

In conclusion, since marriage is an institution, dating and courtships are the necessary exams in which cheating shouldn’t be condoned . Many homes have broken because the couples cheated their ways throughout the courtship into the marriage. Many men and women have ignored being battered by their spouses during courtship,with an excuse that things would get better after marriage, forgetting that it is vital to get married but staying Happily married is far more important. Therefore, there should be individual and concerted efforts targeted at beating this menace ‘Domestic violence’ plaguing our society.