Domestic violence is a pattern of behaviour which involves violence or other abuse by one person against another in a domestic setting, such as in marriage. Th e prevalence of domestic violence has led to many wives, children and widows being treated unfairly in the society. Th is behaviour happens because of some reasons like forced marriage, husbands with high temper, poverty, inability of the wife to give birth, women who disrespect their husbands and misbehaving all the time. However, there is an adage that behind every successful man there is a man. Women do the house chores and also take care of the children in order to give them a good upbringing. Some husbands bash their wives on very fl imsy reason which is very bad and can aff ect their children’s morals because, they learn most of the things their parents do all time.
And it can also cause wives losing their lives and children committing suicide because of the bad condition that they found themselves. Although, the husband has the right over his wife the wife also has some right over her husband. Th erefore, marriage should be built up with love, respect, trust, caring and understanding and not with hatred, anger, disrespect which can cause violence between the couples. It is also sad that widows are being neglected after their husband’s death. It is the responsibilities of the husband’s family to take care the woman and her children and do their possible best to make them happy.
Today, some widows and their children are being kicked out of their homes and denied their rights. Th is is why some orphans do not go to school as they don’t have anyone to sponsor them. Th is kind of attitude can led the mother and her children to be in a kind of critical problem and change of behaviour. During an interview with iliyasu Yakubu Dan Yaro, a vegetable seller at Area1, Durunmi Market, he said that marital problems do come from both couples but that women are usually responsible for the problems.
Th is is because, most women these days are golddiggers, all they are after is to marry a rich man and that is why many men do appear fake to be rich. And after marriage if the woman didn’t see things going the way that she wanted, it can cause misunderstanding in their marriage which can led to divorce. He advised men to appear to women the kind of person who they truly are because if she really loves you she would accept you for whom you are and if she doesn’t surely God will give you someone else. In another interview, Ibrahim Shehu, a trader, said that the major cause of divorce in a marriage is forced marriage.
He said that when two people who do not love each other are forced to get married there will always be confl ict arising between them. He urged parents to allow their children to marry who they like and not force them into any kind of marriage in order to avoid any king of violence that may occur. Th ere is, therefore, the dire for government to tackle the menace of domestic violence by providing free education, employment opportunities, and other social safety nets. Th ere is need for the enactment of a law that prohibits forced marriage and protection of widows for a better society. Sa’adatu Usamaah Hajiya, an intern with Blueprint and a student of Al-Hikma University, Ilorin
