GENDER BASED VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA IN THE 21ST CENTURY: STUDIES ON NIMO IN WESTERN IGBOLAND

Gender based violence in Nigeria and Nimo in particular has attained frightening increase and unacceptable levels. It undermines the health, dignity, security, and autonomy of women and girls, its victims, yet it remains shrouded in a culture of silence. This paper examines different forms of gender based violence such as child marriage/forced marriage, female circumcision, physical violence, sexual assaults/crimes, widowhood rites and psychological violence. While using descriptive and interpretative qualitative research methodology, the paper contends that gender based violence is a common phenomenon in the society in the 21st century and that the majority of the people in Nimo and Nigeria in general do not consider it a problem or crime. The study relied on Liberal and Socialist Feminist Theories and primary and secondary sources of data were employed for this work. The paper recommends aggressive education and training that cuts across every strata of the society. Furthermore, it insists that a collective measure that comprises all stakeholders such as the local, state and federal government as well as the international agencies are required for the effective eradication of gender based violence against women