Domestic Violence and Psychosocial Wellbeing of Women in Nigeria

Violence against women continues to be a global epidemic that kills tortures and maims physically psychologically sexually and economically. It is one of the most pervasive of human rights violations denying women equality security dignity self-worth and their right to enjoy fundamental freedoms. Violence against women is a technical term used to collectively refer to violent acts that are primarily or exclusively committed against women. Similar to a hate crime this type of violence targets a specific group with victim’s gender as primary motive. The United Nations General Assembly defines violence against women as any act of gender-based violence that results in or is likely to result in physical sexual or mental harm or suffering to women including threats of such acts coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty whether occurring in public or in private life.