Assessment of the prevalence of sexual violence in Edo State Using Ovia North as a case study

Summary

The general objective of the study is to assess the prevalence of sexual violence in Edo State Using Ovia North as a case study” this research is to be carried out in in the University of Benin Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State and to identify the effects of spousal abuse against women on family relationship, to examine the effects of sexual abuse against women on family and the effects of early marriage on women and family relationship. It went further to examine the extent to which women are deprived the right to participate in decision making of the family and how sexual violence affects family relationship. Literature reviewed highlighted that people marry for social, emotional and religious reasons. Marriage changes personal and social status of the individual who enter into it. Husbands and wives need to talk to each other in such a way that will not belittle their mate as this will result in a negative reaction that can lead to sexual violence within the family. Partners should not be aggressive to each other as this will lead to sexual violence. Most sexual violence that occur in the family is a reflection of what happened in the family of origin. Women are violated sexually, through threats of emotions and are deprived the right to power, right to decision making and right to implementation of the decisions and policies affecting women and their families. Descriptive survey design was used in carrying out the study. The population of the study was 266,474 which comprised of married men and women drawn from four local Government Areas. A sample size of two hundred (180) married men and women was randomly selected using stratified random sampling. The data collected were analysed using. Mean and standard deviation to analyze respondents’ demographic variables, while Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to analyse the four Null hypotheses, which were all rejected.