Domestic Violence on the Rise as Cases of Divorce Dominate the Courts
Eric Adah
Makurdi
In recent times, cases of domestic violence have increase most especially in the area of verbal and physical abuses; at times resulting to death of an intimate relationship partner, severe injuries and separation.Victor Ochefu and Juliana Ochefu have been married since 1984 (36 years) and God has blessed them with six children four boys and two girls. Ochefu said marriage is a very beautiful thing if couples have love for each other so that they could tolerate each other’s flaws for the sake of love. Marriage he said has it challenges such as financial challenges, mistrust and third party forces and even children that may cause disagreement.
He said for marriages to last, both partners must respect each other and put the family reputation first, because if they fail to settle their differences and divorce is involved, the children are the ones who suffer the consequences most, because it takes a couple to bring up a child.
Caroline (surname) who is a divorcee said her else husband used to abuse her verbally and physically whenever he takes drugs and alcohol. They were married for six years with two children, boy and a girl. They dated for two years before getting married. According to her, the monster in her husband got the better part of him when he was sacked in his place of work with Coca-Cola Plc. “I almost had miscarriage for our second child, I thought I could endure it but I was scared that someday he might kill me, how long will he stop abusing me, but I have to save my life and that of our children so I decided to call for divorce, which he granted and we went our separate ways.” She is staying with her two children for safety and proper care. “Though it was a difficult decision to divorce my husband, but all the effort to settle differences by clergy, family and friends failed.
Moses Apine who is a driver was married for 13 years, with three children. His wife wanted to complete her Secondary Education, which he accepted because he too has an O’ level Certificate. After her education, “I asked her to seat for Jamb which she passed and got admission to study B.Sc Economics.”
Apine said he suffered to pay his School fees and that of the children, after her graduation she got employed and she developed negative attitudes towards him: “she abused me verbally and starved me of sexual intercourse. I tolerated all these but she went away and left me traumatized, but I have moved on. I am now a 200 level student at National Open University, Makurdi Campus.” He said excessive social life in marriages could also be the causes of domestic violence.
Recently cases of domestic violence have increased in Benue State where spouses engage in physical abuse that even lead to death, the most brutal one being that of Mrs. Racheal Adetsav who was said to have murdered her husband Nicholas Adetsav, her three children and killed herself. This is just one of the many cases in the State.
many couples have divorced their partners as a consequence of domestic violence. Efforts to see the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development in Benue State, failed. The Transmitter wants to know what the Social Welfare Department of the Ministry in sensitization on the dangers of domestic abuses. This is a move to control the rising cases of domestic violence and divorce in the State where having the mindset that single parenting is not the best option for the moral upbringing of children.
