Does Women’s Childhood Witnessing of Interparental Violence Heighten Intimate Partner Violence Victimization in Condition of Husband’s Controlling Behavior in Nigeria?

Previous research has established a link between women's childhood exposure to interparental violence and their risk of experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) in adulthood. Emerging evidence also suggests that a husband's controlling behavior may influence this relationship. This study investigated whether husband's controlling behavior moderates the association between women's childhood witnessing of father-mother violence and their experiences of physical, sexual, and emotional IPV. Data were drawn from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (DHS), comprising a nationally representative sample of 7,553 married women. Participants provided self-reports on childhood exposure to parental violence, their husband's controlling behavior, and IPV experiences. Descriptive statistics and correlations were analyzed using SPSS, while structural equation modeling (SEM) with AMOS was used to test direct and moderated effects, controlling for demographic and socioeconomic factors such as age, education, wealth, and employment. Findings showed that childhood exposure to interparental violence was positively associated with all forms of IPV. Husband's controlling behavior was also linked to higher IPV risk and significantly strengthened the association between childhood exposure and IPV. Women who experienced both early exposure and controlling partners reported the highest levels of IPV. These findings underscore the importance of addressing controlling behaviors and early exposure to violence in IPV prevention efforts.