Economic Abuse Of Female Intimate Partners In Socially Disadvantaged Neighbourhoods Of Ilorin, Nigeria
Saheed Rahman Olanrewaju, Ayodele Elijah Abiodun Amiable, Badmus Ganiyat Omolara
Keywords: Economic abuse, gender, poverty, social capital, women autonomy.
Abstract
Economic abuse is one of the most hidden forms of gender-based violence
in contemporary African societies. This has implications for women’s autonomy and social relations. In Nigeria, women of reproductive age living in socially disadvantaged neighbourhoods remain particularly vulnerable to economic abuse. This study examines the nexus between economic abuse and social capital erosion among women in Ilorin. Guided by Social Capital Theory and the Socio-Ecological Model, the study adopted a cross-sectional survey design. Using a multi-stage sampling technique, a total of 1,075 women of reproductive age were sampled and data were collected with the aid of adapted versions of the Personal Social Capital Scale (PSCS-8) and the Economic Abuse Scale, and analysed using descriptive statistics and
regression modelling. Findings reveal that approximately 7 in 10 women
experienced at least one form of economic abuse in the preceding 12 months. Regression results confirmed that economic abuse is a significant predictor of social capital erosion (R² = .439; F = 838.717; p < .001; (B = –0.318, 95% CI [–0.340, –0.296])) among women of reproductive age. The study
concludes that economic abuse against women is pervasive and coercive. Hence, the study recommends strengthened enforcement of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, targeted economic empowerment initiatives, and community-based support mechanisms to rebuild trust and network. The study uniquely contributes to existing literature by empirically demonstrating that economic abuse not only restricts women’s financial autonomy but also fractures their social capital in disadvantaged urban settings.
Author Biography
Saheed Rahman Olanrewaju
Department of Sociology, Federal University Wukari, Nigeria.
Email: [email protected]
Ayodele Elijah Abiodun Amiable
Department of Sociology, University of Ilorin, Nigeria.
Email: [email protected]
Badmus Ganiyat Omolara
Department of Sociology and Criminology, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin-Nigeria