ABSTRACT
The study investigated the
influence of spousal rape on marital stability among couples in Mainland Local
Government Area of Lagos State. The study employed the descriptive research
survey for the assessment of the opinions of the respondents. The questionnaire
was used to collect vital information for this study. A total of 120 (one
hundred and twenty) respondents were sampled for this study to represent the
entire population of the study. Four null hypotheses were tested and the
following results emerged at the end of the analysis of data:
1. Hypothesis one found that there is a
significant influence of spousal rape on marital stability among couples.
2. Hypothesis two found that there is no
significant influence of socio-economic status on spousal rape among couples
3. Hypothesis three found that religious
impact spousal rape on marital stability was significant
4. Hypothesis four found that there is a
significant ethnic impact in spousal rape on marital stability among couples.
Based on the above
results, it could be concluded that spousal rape influences marital stability
among couples. Also, it could be concluded that religion, ethnicity and socio-economic
status are one of the important factors that determine stability in marriage.
Based on the
conclusions, it is recommended that for marriages to work well, couples should
ensure that they abstain from those things that would make them to face marital
conflicts, separation or divorce. Such things as rape, should not be mentioned
amongst couples, because it is capable of derailing the marital tie between man
and woman in a conjugal union, called marriage. Rape is evil, and therefore, no
sane human being, man or woman should think or nurse the idea of going into it.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page i
Certification ii
Dedication iii
Acknowledgements iv
Abstract v
Table of Contents vi
Chapter One 1
1.1
Introduction/Background to the Study 1
1.2
Theoretical Framework 7
1.3
Statement of the Problem 11
1.4
Purpose of the Study 12
1.5
Research Questions 13
1.6
Research Hypotheses 13
1.7
Significance of the Study 14
1.8
Scope of the Study 15
Chapter Two: Literature Review 16
2.0 Introduction 16
2.1
Nature and Concept of Sexual
Behaviour 17
2.2
Concept and Nature of Spousal Rape 20
2.3
Incidence and Prevalence of Rape 23
2.4
Characteristics of Rape Victims
and Rapists 25
2.5
Causes of Rape 27
2.6
Consequences of Rape 31
2.7
Prevention of Rape 32
2.8
Marital Rape and Crime 33
2.9
Spousal Rape and Religion 38
2.10 Legal Aspect of Spousal Rape and Cultural Dimensions 42
2.11 Spousal Rape: A Woman’s Secret Shame 51
2.12 Empirical Review of Literature 54
2.13 Summary of the Review 57
Chapter Three: Research Methodology 60
3.1 Introduction 60
3.2 Research Design 60
3.3 Population of the Study 60
3.4 Sample and Sampling Technique 61
3.5 Research Instrument 61
3.6 Procedure for Data Collection 63
3.7 Data Analysis Procedure 63
Chapter Four: Data Analysis, Hypotheses Testing and Interpretation of
Results 64
4.1
Introduction
64
4.2 Hypotheses
Testing and Interpretation of Results 64
4.3 Summary of Findings 69
Chapter Five: Discussion of Findings, Summary of the Study, Conclusions,
and Recommendations 71
5.1
Introduction 71
5.2
Discussion of Findings 71
5.3
Summary of the Study 75
5.4
Conclusions 76
5.5 Recommendations 77
References 79
Appendix
84
CHAPTER ONE
1.1 Introduction/Background
to the Study
When people hear the word ‘rape’, it often conjures a mental
image; perhaps a stranger with a knife jumping out of the bushes at night, and
forcing a woman to engage in sexual intercourse. Defining rape is not an easy
task. Definitions come from various perspectives: from the law, the media, research,
and political activism. Even within one of these domains, definitions vary
(Arsworth, 2004). Mundidi (2005) sees rape as a crime which affects all members
of society both as its victims, and as those close to them. Rape, according to
him, is the threat, or use of force to compel one individual to engage in a
sexual act with another. It is any sexual intercourse with a person by forcible
compulsion or threat of forcible compulsion. It is a sexual intercourse with a
person who is incapable of giving consent.
Marital dissolution, though not quite ubiquitous has become common
place in many societies. Over the course of the past decades, the rate of
desertions, separations or even divorce in Nigeria alone, has risen up
tremendously. The number of children affected with the disruption had kept on
increasing (Social Welfare Record and Data, 2000). There is need to take into
account that in a marital relationship, two separate personalities are
interacting, two relatively heterogeneous values and need systems confront each
other and that two different behavioural systems are present (Hassan and
Sotonade, 1993).
Research carried out by Sotonade (2001), has indicated that the
greater the discrepancy between individual characteristics in marriage, the
less stability the marital dyad is likely to have. Whether the differences
between the parties have to do with age, socio-economic backgrounds, education,
sexual compatibility and so on, they portend a lower degree of dyadic
adjustment prior to marriage and a greater instability in the marital
relationship itself. According to Zartman (2003), marital conflict is an
inevitable and at least sometimes valuable component of intimate relationships.
Interpersonal relationships require a continual process of negotiation and exchange
which permits spouses to maximize their individual outcomes and maintain an
equilibrium that satisfies both spouses. Most times, Hassan (2002) and Adeleke
(2004) observed that, sexual activity solidifies marital union, and a situation
where sexual activity between man and his wife is done by force and without
consent, tends to yield conflict, separation and divorce among couples in
marriage.
In many cultures the stigma associated with rape is extremely
damaging to victims. In some cultures, women are driven to suicide or are
killed by family members in order to relieve the family of their shame (Heise
et al, 2004).
In marriage, many factors tend to bring about stability or
instability among couples. Factors such as in-laws interruption, religion,
socio-economic status, communication, sexual compatibility, etc are some of the
factors that stabilize marriage among couples. Also, spousal rape, is one of
the causes of instability in marriage. Due to the fact that many couples are
not sexually compatible, not communicating at the same frequency sexually, the
incidence of spousal rape, that forceful sexual intercourse can occur.
According to Ibegbu (2004), sex without consent of the spouse, especially the
woman, has caused marital conflict, separation and divorce among the married
couple. He opined that in some homes, couples do not have good relationships,
and in a home where there is lack of effective sexual communication, abuse of
sex usually occur.
Historically,
in English common law, Arsworth (2004) observed that rape was defined as a man
engaging in sexual intercourse with a woman other than his wife against her
will and without her consent by using or threatening force. Today, legal
definitions of rape differ widely across nations.
Rape victims often suffer from depression, feelings of betrayal
and humiliation, problems with trust and intimacy, guilt, anxiety, fears,
anger, physical problems, sexual difficulties, and lowered self-esteem in many
areas of their lives (Muechlenhard; Goggins; Jones; and Satterfield 1991;
Shapiro and Schwarz, 1997).
Additionally, rape often results in physical injury to the victim
or leads to medical difficulties (RAINN, 2001; Tjaden and Thoennes, 2000). For
example, rape victims can contact sexually transmitted diseases from rapists.
Female victims may also become pregnant (Hiese et al., 1994).
The consequences of rape have been conceptualized as
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which focuses on the victim’s repeatedly
re-experiencing the rape (e.g. in dreams or flashbacks); feeling numb and
attempting to avoid stimuli associated with the rape;; and experiencing
increased physiological arousal (e.g. difficulty sleeping or concentrating,
outbursts of anger, or an exaggerated startle response). This in any case
causes set back in marriage. For instance, many marriages have hit the rock due
sexual abuse or rape incidence. According to Adamson (2005), men are more prone
to raping their wives. When couples are sexually not compatible and a situation
where the man is into drug addiction or drunkenness, spousal rape usually
occurs among couples.
Male and female rape victims experience many of the same
consequences (Mezey and King, 2005). Although both genders may have difficulty
seeking help from crisis intervention services or the police, men may have more
because being a rape victim is inconsistent with the male stereotype. Gay and
lesbian rape victims may have greater difficulty than heterosexuals obtaining
help from social service agencies, which are often not publicized for or geared
toward gay and lesbian clients (Waterman, 2004; Dawson and Bologna, 2006).
Several studies carried out by Yarrow (2000); Arnolds (2003) and
Adamson (2005) have provided estimates of rape incidence and prevalence. The
National Institute of justice and the Centres for Disease Control and
Prevention sponsored the National Violence Against Women (NVAW) survey. The
survey consisted of telephone interviews with eight thousand couples; four
thousand women; and four thousand men in the United States regarding their
experiences with various forms of violence. In this study, rape was defined as
“an event that occurs without the consent of the victim and involves the use of
force or threat to penetrate the victim’s vagina or anus by penis, tongue,
fingers or object; or the victim’s mouth by penis”. This definition includes
both the attempted and completed rape (Tjaden and Thoennes, 2000). The
researchers found that 7.7 percent of married women and 0.3 percent of married
men over age thirty had experienced such an event.
According to Dally and Wilson
(2003), marriage is a socially sanctioned long-term mating arrangement that
typically involves economic, social, and reproductive cooperation between the
spouses. Although the norms that govern selection of a marriage partner and the
customs surrounding the marriage ceremony vary from culture to culture, all
known societies practice this long-term pairing.
As Onuoha (2005) puts it, different rapists commit rape for
different reasons, and any one rapist may rape for different reasons at
different times. Thus no one theory can explain all rapes. However, many
cultural factors seem to contribute to rape. Commonly held myths such as these,
can contribute to date and marital rape: a man must have sex to prove his
masculinity; when women say no to sex, they really mean yes, so men should
ignore women’s refusals; if a woman engages in kissing or petting, she is
obligated to engage in sexual intercourse; what goes on between husband and
wife is no one else’s business; and the man should be head of the household.
These are dangerous myths that can lead to rape and marital instability in the
family. Burth (1991) is of the opinion that rape causes conflict, bad blood
between husband and wife. He opined that the traditional gender roles
prescribing female submission and male dominion are linked to rape.
Characteristic of culture and gender role socialization, however,
do not explain why most men do not rape their wives, and why most women even
rape their husbands, or why rape occurs among the gays and lesbians in which
both people have experiences similar gender role socialization. Individual
differences are also important.
Some people hold beliefs justifying rape more strongly than
others. For instance, men who rape more strongly than others. For instance, men
who rape tend to believe more strongly in myths about rape and they are more
likely to engage in fantasies about coercive sex (Lange, 2006). Compared with
other men rapists drink more heavily, begin having experiences earlier, and are
more likely to have been physically or sexually abused as children (Ullman, 2000;
Koss, 2002 and Karabastos, 2004).
1.2
Theoretical Framework
Abraham (2000)
theorises that victims of rape can be severely traumatized
by the assault and may have difficulty functioning as well as they had been
used to prior to the assault, with disruption of concentration, sleeping
patterns and eating habits, for example. They may feel jumpy or be on edge.
After being raped it is common for the victim to experience distress. In the
months immediately following the assault these problems may be severe and very
upsetting and may prevent the victim from revealing their ordeal to friends or family, or seeking police or
medical assistance (Thornhill and Palmer, (2001).
According to Marnie (2005), additional symptoms of rape include:
- dissociation
(feeling numb and detached, like being in a daze or a dream, or feeling
that the world is strange and unreal)
- difficulty remembering important parts of the assault
- reliving the assault through repeated thoughts,
memories, or nightmares
- avoidance of things, places, thoughts, and/or
feelings that remind the victim of the assault
- anxiety or increased arousal (difficulty sleeping,
concentrating, etc.)
- avoidance of social life or place of rape
For one-third to
one-half of the victims, these symptoms continue beyond the first few months
and meet the conditions for the diagnosis of posttraumatic
stress disorder.
According to Adamson
(1990), some of the psychological and health effects that can occur in someone
who has been raped: depression,
anxiety and/or
panic attacks,
sleeplessness and/or nightmares, shame and guilt, difficulty concentrating,
headaches, fatigue
or loss of motivation, stomach problems, eating disorders (weight loss or
gain), alcoholism,
feeling betrayed and/or violated, feeling angry or violent towards the
perpetrator, feeling powerless or out of control, increased blood pressure,
loss of confidence and self esteem, withdrawal and isolation, overall loss of trust
in people, traumatic stress.
In both rape and sexual harassment, one person has more power than
another. In contrast, consensual sexual interactions are defined as
participation in sexual relationships by people who freely choose to engage in
that interaction (Allgeier, 1987). When two mature people respect each other
(and when neither feels guilty about the relationship), sexual interactions can
offer uniquely positive pleasures. Everyone will be making and have made
decisions about sexuality. The decision must take into account the
possibilities of both life-threatening disease and pregnancy. However, as
Allgeier (2002) writes, “Humans are blessed with a potential capacity for
experiencing intense intimacy and connection, not to mention exquisite
sensations, in the context of their sexual interactions with one another.”
Some negative aspects of sexuality has been noted. An additional
problem is that many people are harmed by sexual aggression. Rape is defined as
vaginal, anal, or oral penetration, without the individual’s consent. This
penetration may be obtained by force, or by threat of physical harm, or when
the victim is incapable of giving consent (Koss, 1993). Rape can be committed
by a stranger, but data show that people who have been raped are likely to know
those who raped them (Bridges, 1991). Unfortunately, most cases of rape go
unreported. However, estimates in the United States and Canada suggest
that between 14% and 25% of women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime
(Calhoun and Atkeson, 2001).
Whereas rape typically involves physical violence or threatened
violence, other kinds of sexual exploitation involve different threats, such as
“Sleeping with me is the best way to get the promotion”. This is an extreme
example of sexual harassment, an activity that involves ‘deliberate or repeated
comments, gesture, or physical contacts of a sexual nature that are unwanted by
the recipient” (American Psychological Association, 2000).
In both rape and sexual harassment, one person has more power than
another. In contrast, consensual sexual interactions are defined as
participation in sexual relationships by people who freely choose to engage in
that interaction (Allgeier, 1987). When two mature people respect each other
(and when neither feels guilty about the relationship), sexual interactions can
offer uniquely positive pleasures. Everyone will be making and have made decisions
about sexuality. The decision must take into account the possibilities of both
life-threatening disease and pregnancy. However, as Allgeier (2002) writes,
“Humans are blessed with a potential capacity for experiencing intense intimacy
and connection, not to mention exquisite sensations, in the context of their
sexual interactions with one another”.
1.3
Statement of the Problem
Marital dissolution, though not quite ubiquitous, has become
common place in many societies. Over the course of the past decades, the rate
of desertions, separations or even divorce in Nigeria alone, has risen
tremendously. The number of children affected with the disruption had kept on
increasing due to sexual incompatibility and rape incidences.
The causes of rape are as follows: poor communication between
husband and wife; drug abuse and addiction of either of the spouses; tiredness;
financial problems, for instance, when the man could no longer finance and
cater for the family; unfaithfulness; stinginess and so on.
The consequences of rape have been conceptualized as
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which focuses on the victim’s repeatedly
re-experiencing the rape (e.g. in dreams or flashbacks); feeling numb and
attempting to avoid stimuli associated with the rape;; and experiencing
increased physiological arousal (e.g. difficulty sleeping or concentrating,
outbursts of anger, or an exaggerated startle response). This in any case
causes set back in marriage.
Rape victims often suffer from posteassault depression, feelings
of betrayal and humiliation, problems with trust and intimacy, guilt, anxiety,
fears, anger, physical problems, sexual difficulties, and lowered self-esteem
in many areas of their lives (Muechlenhard; Goggins; Jones; and Satterfield
1991; Shapiro and Schwarz, 1997).
For instance, many marriages have hit the rock due sexual abuse or
rape incidence. According to Adamson (2005), men are more prone to raping their
wives. When couples are sexually not compatible and a situation where the man
is into drug addiction or drunkenness, spousal rape usually occurs among
couples.
This study sets out to examine the influence of proneness to
spousal rape on marital stability among couples in Lagos Metropolis.
1.4
Purpose of the Study
The main purpose of this study is to examine the influence of
proneness to spousal rape on marital stability among couples.
Other objectives of the study include to:
(1)
Examine whether spousal rape
influences marital stability among couples.
(2)
Determine whether socio-economic
status influences spousal rape among couples.
(3)
Examine whether religious impact
on spousal rape affect marital stability.
(4)
Find out whether ethnic impact on
spousal rape affect marital stability.
1.5
Research Questions
The research questions raised in this study include:
1.
Does spousal rape influence
stability among couples?
2.
To what extent will socio-economic
status influences spousal rape among couples?
3.
Does religious impact on spousal
rape affect marital stability?
4.
Does ethnic impact on spousal rape
affect marital stability?
1.6
Research Hypotheses
These research hypotheses were formulated and tested in this
study:
1.
There will be no significant
influence of spousal rape on marital stability among couples.
2.
Socio-economic status difference
on spousal rape among couples does not significantly influence their marital
stability.
3.
There will be no significant
religious impact of spousal rape on marital stability.
4.
There will be no significant
ethnic impact of spousal rape on marital stability.
1.7
Significance of the Study
The study will be beneficial in the following ways or areas:
1.
Couples: The findings and recommendations
of this study will be of great benefit for couples; both the already married
and those intending to marry. This is because they would learn the factors that
contribute to marital stability, especially, they would learn that spousal rape
does not promote marital bliss among couples. The study will help couples learn
how best to avoid rape because it brings about instability.
2.
Adolescents: They would learn from the
study, especially those who are of marriageable ages. This is because they
would get to understand that there are some factors that can help marriages to
grow and develop instead of dying down. They would also learn that spousal rape
is one of the factors that can contribute to marital disunity among couples.
The information adolescents would derive from this study will enable them to
avoid rape either in marriage or out of it.
3.
The Society: The society will learn
through this study, the role of spousal rape on marital stability among
couples. Not only that, this study will help members of the larger society to
understand that spousal rape is one of the contributing factors towards the
broken homes in our society today. Marital conflict is rampant these days among
couples. The society will be enlightened on how best to avoid rape, especially
among couples.
1.8
Scope of the Study
The study covered the influence of spousal rape
on marital stability among couples in Mainland Local Government Area of Lagos
State
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