INFLUENCE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON CHILDREN IN BENIN METROPOLIS, EDO STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

This study examined the influence of domestic violence on children in selected communities in Egor and Oredo local government areas of Edo state. The main objectives of the study were to ascertain the influence of domestic violence among couples in the study area, identify the types of domestic violence prevalent in Benin metropolis, ascertain the emotional effects of domestic violence among children in the study area, examine the effect of domestic violence on children social wellbeing, examine the effect of domestic violence on children education in the study area, and identify the social work intervention strategies available for enhancing the wellbeing of children experiencing domestic violence.

The study adopted the one-shot or status research design as a mode of inquiry to ascertain how the violent behaviour engaged in by intimate partners affects the children within the family. The population of this study was drawn from children whose parents have reported to be having crises in their marriages at the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development instituted in either Oredo or Egor Local Government Area secretariat from 2018 to 2020. This study adopted the multistage sampling method used in the selection of respondents. This study engaged two distinctive instruments that aided in the gathering of qualitative and quantitative data for the study. The In-depth Interview (IDI) was employed to gather the required qualitative data while the structured questionnaire was employed to gather data for the quantitative research. The data collected for this study were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics like the chi-square with cross tabulation with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0.