TITLE:
Intimate Partner Violence in Men in Heterosexual Relationships: A Cross Sectional Study
AUTHORS:
Nweke Assumpta, Uche-Omovoh Ifeoma, Nwafor Amuchechukwu, Ajah-Okohu Doris, Oliobi Chinwe, Onwe Abraham, Nkechi Nwachukwu, Ekeh Ifeanyi, Onwe Emmanuella, Ifeoma Cecilia Uche-Omovoh
KEYWORDS:
Men, Intimate Partner Violence, Experience, Heterosexual
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.14 No.4,
April
29,
2026
ABSTRACT: Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) among men is an experience that is very common among the men but is rarely reported by men. This underreporting has led to this research to understand how common IPV is and factors and challenges that have led to underreporting. Aim: To determine men’s knowledge and experiences of IPV, factors responsible for IPV; types of IPV in men; whether men report IPV; and the implications of IPV in men. Materials and Methods: This study employed mixed research methods where a semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data from 322 men who accessed healthcare at Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (AEFUTHA) while a focus group discussion was conducted on 16 married men who resided in Abakaliki Urban, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. Results: The findings from this study have shown that the prevalence of IPV in men was 65.8%. Of the 212 participants who suffered IPV, emotional violence was the most common, 141 (66.5%). The majority of the men (57, 35.8%) did not report IPV. Regression analysis showed that men less than 40 years were more likely to suffer from IPV and wives who were skilled workers were five times more likely to violate their spouses. Findings from focused group discussion showed that men were aware that men experience IPV Poverty on the side of men and family/peer group influence were the key drivers of IPV in men; the common IPV in men are verbal abuse and denial of sex; the implications of IPV in men range from engaging in illicit sex, drunkenness and staying out late at night. Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of IPV in men with emotional violence being the most common. Men are more likely to suffer from IPV when they are poor and the needs of the family are being catered to by their wives especially when the women are skilled workers.