Issues in Marital Conflict and Violence: Sociological Analysis of Narratives of Selected Yoruba Women
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Date
2018-09
Authors
Bammeke, F.O.
Eshiet, I.C.U.
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Abstract
The study examines the causes, responses and consequences of marital conflict and violence as perceived by
women in these relationships. It analyses the narratives of 28 Yoruba women selected through snowball
sampling in Lagos, Nigeria. The women’s narratives were obtained through in-depth interview to understand
issues associated with marital conflict and violence from their perspective. The study confirms the ubiquity of
conflict in marital relationships as well as diversity in the nature and extent of violence which often results from
it. Consequent upon conflicts, partners shun inter-personal relations such as verbal communication, family
meals and sex. The study is hinged on the social structural model which offers explanation for power relations
among the Yoruba where the husband wields control and authority. The study reveals the relevance of extended
families in the mediation process despite couples’ neolocal residence. It found that traditional values still
influence women’s understanding and attitude to conflict and violence in their families in spite of their
educational and economic status. Dominant reasons for remaining in violent marriages include the desire to
protect children and the belief that a good woman must persevere. The study recommends strengthening the
extended family and equipping key players in faith-based organizations for more effective intervention
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Keywords
Marital conflict , Marital conflict