Prevalence and Perpetrators of Domestic Violence against Adolescents in Rivers State.

Abstract

The study investigated prevalence and perpetrators of domestic violence against adolescents in Rivers State. Cross sectional and co-relational designs were used for the study. Three research questions guided the study and four hypotheses were postulated and tested. The population for the study was 93,076 adolescents in Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools. A sample size of one thousand five hundred and twelve (1512) respondents was selected using multistage sampling procedures. The instrument for data collection was validated self-structured/adapted 59-item questionnaire titled domestic violence prevalence and perpetrators questionnaire (DVPPQ). The data generated were subjected to statistical analysis using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, while Z-test and ANOVA were used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 alpha levels. The findings of the study revealed that domestic violence against adolescents was prevalent in Rivers State with grand mean of 2.63. Guardians, siblings and parents were the major perpetrators of physical, verbal, economic and emotional abuses, while relatives, friends and neighbors were the perpetrators of sexual abuse against adolescents. The findings also revealed that age, parents'/guardians' educational and occupational status had no significant influence on the perpetration of domestic against adolescents but gender did. Based on the findings, the study recommended among others that integrated approaches be adopted to curb the menace of domestic violence in the society, particularly in Rivers State.

Adolescence Substance Use Prevention Strategies: A Review of Key Interventions

“…Peer education in this strategy, adolescent representatives are selected and trained. It is a cautiously planned and implemented strategy that provides the adolescents with information relating to them with the hope that they will share the information among themselves [25]. The selected and trained adolescent, peer educator, discourage the buying and selling of illicit drugs [22].…”

Examining Ways of Social Science Curricula on Students' Life Skill Acquisition in Secondary Schools of Mbeya Region

“…Mwachande et al (2023) indicate ten core life skills, which are decisionmaking, problem-solving, empathy, self-awareness, communication, interpersonal connections, coping with emotions, coping with stress, creativity, and critical thinking, as the ten basic life skills abilities. Life skills are learned abilities that allow young people to develop behavioral and social competencies that promote their development and positive interpersonal relationships (Okey-Orji et al, 2019). Jaya et al (2018 have explained life skills as the ability of learners to adjust attitudes and behaviours that allow them to overcome various problems in everyday life.…”

“…This skill assists people in dealing with and resolving issues without experiencing emotional or mental breakdowns, as well as preventing the escalation of violence. (Okey-Orji et al, 2019). Weaknesses, Strengths, Threats and Opportunities are four basic factors that one should consider in problem solving (Rout & Shee, 2018).…”

“…Decisions can be made intuitively or rationally or through a combination of the two. Okey-Orji et al (2019) elaborate on emotion skills as abilities such as emotional understanding (EU) and emotional intelligence (EI), which involve using emotions to speed up thinking, understanding, and managing one's emotions. It focuses on facing and dealing with responsibilities, problems or difficulties successfully, calmly or adequately.…”

“…It is important that every individual is aware of the effects of stress. Stress describes an individual's feeling of mental, physical, or emotional strain or tension, whereas coping is the ability to face challenges or problems positively and calmly (Okey-Orji et al, 2019). Therefore, to face challenges and meet everyday demands, one needs to possess all the ten core life skills explained above.…”