Ethnic Characterization of Gender-Inequality and Domestic Violence against Women of Reproductive Ages in Nigeria

Abstract Domestic violence against women is a social problem with no tribal distinction in Nigeria. This paper analyzed the forms of gender inequality and domestic violence and determines the factors promoting violence against women. The 2008 Demographic and Health Survey data were used. Factor Analysis and Bootstrapped Quantile regression method were used for data analysis. The results showed more dominance of men in decision making in tribes from northern Nigeria, while average domestic violence indicators were highest among the Tiv (0.5020) and Ibibio (0.4957) women. The factors that significantly increased domestic violence (p>0.05) were the years of education of wife, involvement in labour market, watching TV and households’ male headship, while it significantly reduced with age of women, number of wives, age of household heads, wife’s access to newspaper and non-smoking husband. It was concluded that limitations in data availability restricts further probe into cultural reasons behind some of the results and that violence against women would reduce if child marriage is prohibited, smoking is banned and men are enlightened on the fundamental rights possessed by women in Nigerian constitutions.