SPOUSE'S PERCEPTION OF FUNDAMENTAL MARITAL RIGHTS: Uncovering the Truth behind the key factors of Domestic Violence

This study investigates the spouse’s perception of fundamental marital rights and their contribution to domestic violence in Kano metropolis, Nigeria. The research examines key factors such as infidelity, financial stress, communication breakdown, substance abuse (from the male spouse's perspective), and control issues, emotional abuse, financial dependence, and resentment (from the female spouse's perspective) in relation to domestic violence. The study employs a quantitative research design, utilizing a multi-stage random sampling technique to select 40 households from each of 5 wards in 8 local government areas within Kano metropolis. A structured questionnaire using a three-point Likert scale was administered to 1,015 respondents (both male and female spouses) across the selected households. The analysis involved descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression techniques to assess the relationship between the independent variables and domestic violence. The results indicate that infidelity is the most significant factor influencing domestic violence from the male perspective, while financial dependence and resentment are significant for females. However, the overall explanatory power of both models remains low, suggesting the need for further exploration of additional factors contributing to domestic violence. The study concludes that domestic violence is influenced by multiple factors, with infidelity and financial dependence playing prominent roles. Recommendations include financial empowerment programs for women, marital counseling, and comprehensive domestic violence prevention initiatives. These findings contribute to the understanding of gender-specific dynamics of domestic violence and provide a basis for developing targeted interventions in Kano metropolis.