Increase in Domestic Violence in Nigeria: The Implication of Mismanagement of the Public Sector, and the Weaknesses of the Judiciary

Abstract

Domestic violence is referred to abusive or violent acts committed by one or a group of family members against another. It is a global phenomenon that occurs between couples, parents and their children or family members and its implications have been a series of negative outcomes because government is not properly managed. The incipient outcome of crimes which occasioned not only some fundamental faults in crime management also caused the rationale for the need to strengthen the Judiciary particularly, in Nigeria and all over the world in general. The study examined the causes of domestic violence in Nigeria. It found that many cases of domestic crime occurred because of poverty and lack of financial capability to procure needs for the family as well as psychological problems that occasion a transfer of aggression due to lack or insufficiency of resources to sustain the family while accusation of infidelity are not left out. The aforementioned factors were linked to corrupt leadership in Nigerian Public Sector. For instance, studies have shown that some high profile government officials across the world including Nigeria, have exclusively regarded corrupt behaviour as fundamental rights of the public servants including some politicians in Nigerian leadership positions because punitive measure is prevented from being implemented after being found guilty. As it is prevalent across the world, various laws were in place to regulate it as well as in Nigeria but the management of the corruption to set deterrent lacks in Nigeria. Those identified acts caused the mismanagement of the public sector, some corrupt behaviours and the weaknesses identified in the judiciary which eventually led to occurrence and proliferation of domestic violence in Nigerian homes. It had had detrimental implications on the socioeconomic situation of Nigerians and in other countries where such behaviours flourished and not well managed. The study made use of library as source of its data which is in line with qualitative method of research. The study researched some measures to address it to sustain a lawful and peaceful society. The study suggests the policy implications and the needs for future research.