ABSTRACT
Background Intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) is deep-rooted in many African societies, where it is considered a prerogative of men [1,2] and a purely domestic matter in the society [3,4]. IPVAW is one of the greatest barriers to ending the subordination of women. Women, for fear of violence, are unable to refuse sex or negotiate safer sexual practices, thus increasing their vulnerability to HIV if their husband is unfaithful [5,6]. Violence against women, especially by intimate partners, is a serious public health problem that is associated with physical, reproductive and mental health consequences [7-10]. Even though most societies proscribe violence against women, the reality is that violations against women’s rights
are often sanctioned under the garb of cultural practices and norms, or through misinterpretation of religious tenets. Moreover, when violation takes place within the home, as it is often the case, the abuse is eectively ignored by the tacit silence and the passivity displayed by the state and the law-enforcing machinery. e global dimensions of this violence are alarming as highlighted by numerous studies [2,7,8,11-25].
