Resolving the Equation of Domestic Violence: Is There Any Protection for the Male Victims in Nigeria?

Abstract

Domestic violence, though not novel in Africa, has failed to attract the necessary attention or empathy due to a myriad of social, cultural, legal, economic, and religious factors. Violence conjures in our minds an action or behavior involving physical force and intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something. The notoriety of “domestic violence” has given it a generic status and can be described as violence or other abuse by one person against another in a domestic setting, such as in marriage or other forms of cohabitation. While being considered by more traditional audiences as being physical, in reality, it includes psychological, sexual, financial, emotional aspects, etc. With the prevalence of available literature and reported cases projecting women as the major or only victims of domestic violence, there has been a neglect of other possible victims. The article argues that domestic violence is like an equation that includes women and men as parts of its variables. The writers consider whether the legal and regulatory arrangements in Nigeria are effective to offer any measure to alleviate the plight of men who are victims of domestic violence. This article was based on a doctrinal approach, personal interviews, and a compilation of informal data. The article concludes that male victims constitute a significant portion in the equation of domestic violence and therefore require more proactive and inclusive actions from all stakeholders to address the situation.