Constance Ifeanyichukwu ABOLO

In Nigeria, domestic violence is a problem that is not new in many parts of Africa. However, there is a deep cultural belief that it is socially acceptable to hit a woman to discipline a spouse regardless of the fact that there are laid down provisions in the law. It is widespread and it is seen as an act of intimidation, physical, verbal or emotional abuse that has become an epidemic and it occurs in all sectors of the society. When women are faced with this problem, most women grieve in pain and silence because there are no systems of law that can adequately protect their
rights. Domestic violence is a global issue which affects women all over the world and has been in existence for centuries. It is an issue that affects women and men but it is prevalent mostly amongst women despite national laws and international instruments which have been laid down
to curb this atrocity. Domestic violence is a fundamental human rights violation of the rights of women in Nigeria and it is a silent weapon of chaos and destruction in the home.
Domestic violence in the Nigerian society is often treated as a private matter in which a third party does not have the right of interference. This has led to the high number of women who have been beaten or even killed by their spouses all in the name of keeping the matter private and
away from praying eyes. The acknowledgment of violence against women as a major human rights violation has resulted in the development of a number of international and regional human rights documents dealing with violence against women (either specifically or in the broader context of confirming women's rights). These documents are significant in that they clarify the standards and norms set
for state action in terms of addressing violence against women. The most recent addition to this body of human rights documents is the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa.