Kinship and Intimate Partner Violence Against Married Women in Ghana: A Qualitative Exploration

Abstract

In African societies, kinship ties determine how women are socialized, their access to power and wealth, as well as custody of children, often considered important factors in married women's experience of intimate partner violence (IPV). Yet studies that examine how kinship norms influence IPV are scant. Using in-depth interviews collected from women identifying with both matrilineal and patrilineal descent systems, we explored differences in Ghanaian women's experiences of IPV in both kin groups. Results show that while IPV occurs across matrilineal and patrilineal societies, all women in patrilineal societies narrated continuous pattern of emotional, physical, and sexual assault, and their retaliation to any type of violence almost always culminated in more experience of violent attacks and abandonment. In matrilineal societies, however, more than half of the women recounted frequent experiences of emotional violence, and physical violence occurred as isolated events resulting from common couple disagreements. Sexual violence against matrilineal women occurred as consented but unwanted sexual acts, but patrilineal women narrated experiencing violent emotional and physical attack with aggressive unconsented sexual intercourse. Contextualizing these findings within existing literature on IPV against women suggests that policies aimed at addressing widespread IPV in Ghanaian communities should appreciate the dynamics of kinship norms.

Sexual Harassment and Victimization from Four Other Types of Interpersonal Aggression in Ghana: A Cycle of Victimization

“…Violence against women is widespread due to the socially accepted superior status of men and their right to assert power over females (Amoakohene, 2004). Cultural norms support male dominance and violence against women, this includes both intimate partner aggression and sexual harassment (Ardayfio-Schandorf, 2005;Aryeetey, 2004;Sedziafa, Tenkorang, & Owusu, 2016). Ghanaian women have reported victimization from emotional aggression (i.e.…”

“…Ghanaian women have reported victimization from emotional aggression (i.e. name-calling, accusations of witchcraft, stalking, husband's extramarital affairs) physical aggression (hitting, slapping, kicking, pushing, and beating), and sexual aggression (forced sexual intercourse and rape) by their husbands (Sedziafa et al, 2016).…”

“…Even though the Domestic Violence Act (2007) has criminalised violence against women in Ghana, married women still report lack of information regarding the law (Sedziafa et al, 2016).…”

Current ecology, not ancestral dispersal patterns, influences menopause symptom severity

“…This is exemplified in studies demonstrating that women who live with their matrilineal kin have higher fertility than women who do not and that women who live with their mothers are less likely to get divorced than those who live patrilocally (Leonetti et al, ; Sear, Mace, & McGregor, ). Furthermore, intimate partner violence is more often experienced by women in patrilineal and patrilocal societies (Sedziafa, Tenkorang, & Owusu, , ), and as a result, sexual conflict and household dissonance may increase the woman's stress load, thus worsening a woman's menopausal transition. The positive effect of a relaxed environment on menopause symptoms is highlighted by the fact mindfulness and meditation are now being recommended by practitioners as a natural method of treatment (Wong et al, ).…”

The Health and Economic Costs of Violence against Women and Girls on Survivors, Their Families, and Communities in Ghana

“…In 2016, in Ghana, a mixed methods nationally representative study found that 44% of women who had experienced domestic physical violence in the previous 12 months had been ill in the 30 days prior to the survey, compared to 31% of women who had not experienced this type of domestic violence [4]. In studies in northern Ghana, women reported feelings of worthlessness, suicidal ideation, hypertension, sleep disruption, genital sores, and premature termination of pregnancy as a result of the violence they experienced [12,13]. The GFLHS study also identified strong correlations between exposure to IPV and serious mental illness.…”