The Role of Cultural Beliefs, Norms, and Practices in Nigerian Women’s Experiences of Sexual Abuse and Violence

Abstract

This study aims to explore if and how cultural beliefs, norms, and practices might contribute to Nigerian women’s experiences of sexual abuse and violence. In-depth narrative interviews were conducted with 12 women of Nigerian origin living in the Northwest of England who had experienced sexual abuse and violence. Women’s accounts were analyzed thematically, and drawing upon a feminist-intersectional conceptual framework, analysis reveals that male privilege defined by gendered role and expectation, religious beliefs, rape myths, and bride-price with the associated practice of libation may have contributed to women’s experiences of sexual abuse and violence.

Multi-level predictors of sexual autonomy among married women in Nigeria

“…As shown in this study, and in agreement with existing studies [ 6 , 8 , 20 , 26 , 27 , 41 , 44 ], poor women’s sexual and reproductive health thrives amidst unequal power relations particularly in household or family decision-making. Evidence of inequality in unions abounds in the Nigerian social structure [ 31 – 34 ]. In the absence of legal and social support for behaviour change, married women who try to resist male dominance of unions mostly become victims of intimate partner violence.…”

“…This finding suggests that health authorities should take steps to mobilise community leaders to raise awareness about communal practices and norms that do not promote healthy sexual and reproductive life, particularly practices that do not recognise women as equal partners in marital relationships. It is well established in literature [ 9 , 13 , 31 – 34 ] in Nigeria and many developing countries that several cultural practices do not promote women’s health. While communities differ in terms of reproductive health beliefs, norms and practices, it is pertinent to note that sexual health promotion programmes that work effectively in one community may be ineffective in another community.…”

“…This has inadequately accounted for the importance of community-level factors that interventions could target not only for promoting women’s sexual health, but also for reducing the burden of adverse reproductive health outcomes among women in the country. It is particularly important to identify community-level predictors in Nigeria because of the persistence of communal cultural beliefs, gender norms and practices [ 31 , 32 ] that subjugate women’s sexual lives and general well-being to men’s control and authority. More often than not, the patriarchal system in Nigerian communities supports men’s dominance of power relations within households [ 33 ].…”

“…The gender and power theory [ 36 , 37 ] and the socio-ecological theory [ 38 ] provided the theoretical lenses of the study. On the one hand, the gender and power theory befit the Nigerian social structure because it has persistently remained a patriarchal system heavily tilted against women, and with several socio-cultural practices that continue to have adverse impact on women’s health, economic productivity and empowerment [ 31 – 34 ]. On the other hand, the socio-ecological theory asserts that social or health outcomes may be influenced by different factors that operate at different levels of the society [ 38 ].…”

Exploring the perception and socio-cultural barriers to safer sex negotiation among married women in Northwest Nigeria

“…Safer sex negotiation refers to the means through which partners in sexual relationships agree to have intercourse that protects both partners from adverse sexual health outcomes [ 1 , 2 ]. Safer sex negotiation is particularly important to promote women’s sexual health in sub-Saharan Africa due to the persistence of patriarchal practices that adversely affect women’s economic and reproductive lives [ 3 – 7 ]. In most cases, these practices manifest in the domination of women by men and in the subjugation of women’s sexual and reproductive health lives to male authority and preferences [ 5 , 8 , 9 ].…”