Power Dislocation, Income Differences and Spousal Violence in Urban Nigeria

Earned income disparity has strong explanatory power in understanding spousal manifestations of love, exhibition of power and domination including physical, sexual and emotional violence. In this paper, we argue that this becomes stronger in Nigeria patriarchal milieu where the normative order of power in a family is traditionally located in the man. However, power and authority may be weakened from the husband and stronger with the wife if economic superiority favours her through earnings. This twist of fate may have direct emotional and physical dimensions of violence against the wife as the husband becomes daily confronted with the reality of loss of power in the family. This study therefore examines the influence of income difference on spousal violence using 2013 Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) dataset. The unit of analysis is currently married women in urban Nigeria. This gives a total weighted sample of 7279 women. Spousal violence was measured in 2013 NDHS by asking questions related to experience of physical, emotional or sexual violence using the shortened and modified version of Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS). The prevalence of at least one form of spousal violence among currently women who earns more than their husband is 36.1%. This is significantly (p<0.000) higher than those who earns less than their husband. Income difference as a form of power play as well as a change in family role in a patriarchy society like Nigeria has varying influence on forms of spousal violence experienced by these women. Percent of urban currently married women in Nigeria who earn higher than their husbands experienced emotional violence, physical violence and sexual violence is 30%, 21% and 3% respectively. Odds of at least one of form of spousal violence is 61% significantly higher among women whose income is more than their husband than the other group.