WELCOME TO KENTERPRO:
IMPACT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS IN ECONOMICS IN KANKE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction

• Background to the Study

There are evidences from all parts of the world that some homes are witnessing severe domestic violence which are found to be impacting seriously on the children from such homes. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behaviours used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner in any relationship such as marriage, dating, family or cohabitation. It can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, or psychological actions or threats of actions that impact another person. This includes any behaviour that intimidates, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone. Domestic violence can happen to anyone regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender, (Siemienuk, Krentz, Gish & Gill, 2010).

Ganley (1989) states that domestic violence includes: physical violence, sexual violence, emotional abuse and abuse of property and pets. According to him, exposure to these forms of violence has considerable potential to be perceived as a threat to the lives of victims and can make them feel vulnerable, helpless and, in extreme cases, horrified. Dutton (1994) defines physical violence as any behavior that involves the intentional use of force against the body of another person and that may cause physical injury, injury and / or pain. This includes pushing, hitting, slapping, suffocating, using an object to hit, twisting a part of the body, forcing the ingestion of an unwanted substance and using a weapon. Dutton (1994) defines sexual abuse as any unwanted sexual intimacy imposed on an individual by another. This may include oral stimulation or anal or vaginal penetration, forced nudity, forced exposure to material or explicit sexual activity. Compliance can be achieved by actual physical force or threat or other forms of coercion. Psychological abuse may include derogatory statements or the threat of loss of life by another person. It can also involve isolation, economic threats and emotional abuse. Women Aid Collective (WACOL 2004) stated that domestic violence could be anything that constitutes an action meted out to someone which is capable of depriving the individual from his or her basic human right. Women Aid Collective (2004) added that domestic violence is a form of bullying whereby a person is dealt with physically, thus resulting to injury

Straus and Gelles (1990), domestic violence is widespread and affects all social and economic groups. A national survey of more than 6,000 American families found that between 53% and 70% of violent men also abuse their children. Domestic violence is one of the least reported crimes in the United States, and the Department of Justice estimated in 1998 that there were between 960000 and four million domestic incidents each year.

In 2014, statistics from the justice office estimated that around 92% of domestic violence cases involved women. Wopadovi (women against domestic violence) 2014, domestic violence threatens many Nigerian families and, unfortunately, increases in our society. Many people, including the vast majority of women, have been injured, disabled and killed as a result of domestic violence. After recent events in which domestic violence has become commonplace and every day the death of spouses and lovers of domestic violence is reported, it has become a high priority to make domestic violence a threat that must be addressed. Face as soon as possible. All the seriousness that you deserve. Wopadovi also points out that domestic violence does not recognize the standards of class or social education. Domestic violence according to Wikipedia (2014) is a problem as in many parts of Africa. In Nigeria, there is a deep cultural belief that it is socially acceptable to beat a woman in order to discipline her.

In literature, it has been asserted that, children who are mostly victims or witnesses of domestic violence may develop physical, psychological and behavioural problems as a result of physical, verbal, emotional and other forms of violence. This may affect their participation in school as they may go to school when they are too scared to learn and a good number of them may lag behind in class as well as in life due to exposure to domestic violence. The short-term and long-term emotional and physical aftermath of domestic violence may affect child’s school attendance, academic performance, and behavioural patterns both in school and class participation. According to Rossman (2001) this is because domestic violence in context to the child’s performance affects her reaction to life situations and level of performance.

Various studies on the impact of domestic violence on children had been conducted mostly in the advanced countries (Meltzer, 2009), while few studies had been in the developing countries which could be traced to inadequate data as a result of the fact that domestic violence is considered as a family affair which should not be interfered with most especially in Africa (Aihie, 2009). In Nigeria there had been recorded cases of mass failure or poor performance of students in secondary schools, (Uwaifo, 2012).

In line with the above there is the need to critically examine the extent at which domestic violence has contributed to these poor performances of students in Nigeria. The major objective for this study therefore is to ascertain the impact of domestic violence on a child academic performance in senior secondary schools in Kanke Local Government Area.

1.2. Statement of the Problem

1. Domestic violence can affect children participation in school because they cannot go to school when they are too afraid to learn.
2. Many of the children who face domestic violence may fall behind in class or in life because of exposure to domestic violence.
3. The short- and long-term emotional and physical sequelae of domestic violence can affect school attendance, student achievement, and behavioral patterns of students in school.
4. Children exposed to domestic violence may become timid and have law self-esteem to participate in the classroom.

It is not known how the types and extent of domestic violence affect student achievement and school participation. It is therefore, in the light of this that this study sets out to determine the pact of domestic violence on the academic performance of child in senior secondary schools in Kanke Local Government Area of Plateau State with an aim of proffering long term solutions to the lingering problems.

1.3. Purpose of the study

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of domestic violence on the academic performance of child in senior secondary schools in Kanke Local Government Area of Plateau State. Specifically, the study seeks to:

1. Determine are the various causes of domestic violence in the households in Kanke.
2. Examine the various forms of domestic violence among households.
3. Find out the impacts of domestic violence on the child school attendance in senior secondary schools.
4. Evaluate the impacts of domestic violence on the child socialization among classmates and academic peers.
5. Find out the impacts of domestic violence on academic performance of children in senior secondary schools in economics.

1.5. Research Questions

The following research questions were raised to guide the study:

1. What are the various causes of domestic violence in the households in Kanke?
2. What are various forms of domestic violence among households?

• What are the impacts of domestic violence on the child school attendance in senior secondary schools?

1. What are the impacts of domestic violence on the child socialization among classmates and academic peers?
2. What are the impacts of domestic violence on academic performance of children in senior secondary schools in economics?

1.5. Research Hypotheses

H_o: Domestic violence has no impact on academic performance of children in senior secondary schools in economics in Kanke Local Government Area.

H_a: Domestic violence has impact on academic performance of children in senior secondary schools in economics in Kanke Local Government Area.

1.6. Significance of the study

Policy makers, school administrators and teachers in the education sector can use the findings of this study to formulate strategies for implementing policies that promote the participation of children from vulnerable families in violence.

Local government and social workers, as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs), can use these findings to identify these abused families and children and develop strategies to combat domestic violence, and encourage socially inclusive intervention mechanisms in poor neighborhoods.

The study can also benefit the legal or legislative framework by providing the necessary information to incorporate the laws of protection against domestic violence and school participation, the basic rights of education and regulations.

The findings can also contribute to the national debate on domestic violence and its control, impacts and relationships of domestic violence with other elements of social and economic well-being of the society.

Finally, when this study is completed, it will contribute to the body of research and serve as a reference material for other future researchers who would want to carry out further research under the same topic.

1.6. Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The researcher is aware of other problem area in the home which have bearing or affect academic performance of children in general. However, the present study covers the impact of domestic violence on the academic performance of the child in senior secondary schools. The study is restricted to selected schools in Kanke Local Government Area. However, despite the fact the study is restricted to the selected local government and schools, its findings can be generalized to other local governments in the state and country as a whole.

1.7. Definition of Basic Terminologies

The following terms are used in the context of the study:

Academic Performance: The overall mark or score achieved by a pupil in a test or set of tests administered by a teacher on termly basis.

Absenteeism from school: Being away from school. It was measured by examining the attendance records of the pupils termly.

Attendance – This referred to the number of times a pupil was present during learning activities in school in one term.

Child abuse: Any behavior directed toward a child by a parent and other family member that compromises a child’s emotional health and physical development

child labour – This is any form of economic exploitation in which the child is involved or performance of any work that is likely to be hazardous or interfere with the child’s physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development.

Domestic violence: Any form of physical, psychological and sexual abuse between people who are in intimate or family relationship.

Psychological violence: Behavior that is envisioned to humiliate the other partner. It may comprise; threats of abuse or abandonment, quarantine to the home, intimidations to take away custody of the children, verbal aggression and destruction of property.

Physical violence: Any behavior that encompasses the deliberate use of force against the body of other partner that risks harm. It comprises; hitting, slapping choking, pushing, hitting with an object or burning.

School Attendance: Refers to the number of times a pupil was present during learning activities in school in one term.

Sexual violence: Any undesirable sexual intimacy forced on one partner by the other partner such as forced sexual acts, rape

Victim: A person who suffers from a destructive or injurious action of domestic violence