"There is Something Wrong": Psychologist Speaks on Prevalence of Domestic Violence in Nigeria

• Domestic violence has been a common phenomenon affecting Nigeria and has displayed an increment in prevalence over the decades
• Spousal battery is a major public health problem that affects thousands of people and often results in physical and emotional injuries and deaths
• Speaking in an interview with Legit.ng, a psychologist, Omotola Akinwale, said both the victim and perpetrator should access counselling from a counsellor to support them through this process

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9-year-experience covering public journalism

Ikeja, Lagos state - A psychologist, Omotola Akinwale, has said abusive spouses should try to enroll for programmes that try to treat spiteful partners.

Akinwale said domestic violence is a disturbing act.

Domestic violence: 'Psychological evaluation important'

The therapist stressed that although violence against women remains devastatingly pervasive, men should not be overlooked as victims of domestic abuse.

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She told Legit.ng:

“When we talk about domestic violence, most times, people who are the perpetrators also need to go through psychological evaluation because to want to beat another human being or fight another human being to almost a place of death means that there is something wrong with the kind of orientation that they have.

“This is not only for men beating women alone. It is also for women, because there are a lot of women who also abuse their husbands and most of these men can’t even talk about it. So, it is very important that you go for a psychological evaluation.”

On Ekere Sunday Ebong, a lawyer who was seen in a viral video brutalising his wife in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital, Akinwale said:

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“In this case, it is a crime, because in this case, somebody who is well-educated, you should think that he should understand the rudiment of things and all of that.

“For the law enforcement people that took him, it is nice. But he also needs to be rehabilitated. What is his mindset? What does he think? Did he see his father doing that growing up? Or he just picked it up? Or was it the residue of unresolved anger and emotions?”

Police arrest lawyer for brutally assaulting wife

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) arrested Ebong for abusing his wife.

The lawyer was arrested by the Akwa Ibom police command. Police said the wife-beater would be charged shortly.

Emeka Ike shares his domestic violence experience

Legit.ng also reported that Nigerian actor, Emeka Ike shared his fate in the hands of the female gender and delved into the topic of domestic violence.

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The actor in a now-deleted post on Instagram opined that women now abuse men more lately and declared that they do not love again.

Domestic violence survivor shares her story

Meanwhile, the issue of domestic violence has been a fundamental problem from time immemorial. While some people suffer in silence and eventually end up dead, others, however, gather the strength to walk away.

Such is the case of a Nigerian girl identified by her Twitter username @astrog1rll. She recently took to the platform to share her own story of domestic abuse. Sharing photos of injuries sustained, she stated she was not sharing the story for sympathy but because she felt she had been quiet for too long.

Source: Legit.ng