Intra-gender Victimization

Appreciable women’s political participation in Nigeria is yet to be a reality even after several years of advocacies, policies and litigations and a court order. Women’s poverty, patriarchy, culture, religious among other factors beyond women’s control have often been highlighted as being responsible for hindering their political participation. Springing from the perspective of victim culpability introduced into victimology by Mendelsohn, this paper argues that there are some forms of passive and active intra-sexual victimization that actually are lending support to these other limiting factors already identified by most scholars. Intra-sexual victimization among women expresses itself through failed socialization function, ineffective negotiation, intra-sexual envy and unhealthy rivalry, greed and selfishness, failure to make significant difference with few opportunities. etc. To this end, it is recommended that in the pursuit of this course, women be more united, take advantage of their socializing function, invest more in personal development, shun all forms of corrupt practices, take more deliberate steps towards mentorship and sponsorship of potential and suitable female candidates, explore the informal mode of negotiation and practice the principles of nego-feminism.