Tag Archives: Married Women

FAMILY PLANNING METHODS AMONG MARRIED WOMEN

INFLUENCE OF PERSONAL VARIABLES ON KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE OF FAMILY PLANNING METHODS AMONG MARRIED WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGES IN BENIN METROPOLIS

ABSTRACT

The study investigated influence of personal variables on knowledge and practice of family planning methods among married women of reproductive ages in Benin metropolis. Specifically, the study was undertaken to determine knowledge of married women on family planning methods and the various family planning methods they practice. The study examined the influence of personal variables (age and educational qualifications) on their knowledge and practice of family planning methods.  The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study covered all the married women of reproductive age in Benin metropolis, Edo State comprising of 16,000 women as obtained from the provisional figure of the National Population Commission (NPC), Benin City (2014). A sample of 800 married women comprising market women, civil servants, teachers, female local farmers, women in religious worship among others. However, seven hundred and seventy two (772) copies of the questionnaires were recovered and used for the analysis. The instrument used a self-developed questionnaire with a reliability coefficient (α) of 0.73. Data collected from the survey were analysed with percentages (%), mean ( ) and standard deviation (S.D) while the hypotheses were tested using t-test statistic. Results obtained from the analyses showed that married women in Benin metropolis have good knowledge of family planning methods such as the use of condoms, use of pills, use of injectable hormones, abstinence from sex, withdrawal method during sex, isolation of women from husband, use of local drugs (concortions) and prolonged breast feeding. Consequently, many of them practice the use of condoms, pills, abstinence from sex, withdrawal method during sex, isolation of women from husband, use of local drugs and prolonged breast feeding as their family planning methods. Result further showed that age has no influence on knowledge and practice of family planning methods among married women in the metropolis (p>0.05) while educational qualification, significantly influence knowledge and practice of family planning methods (p<0.05). It was recommended that counsellors and non-governmental agencies need to try as much as they can to ensure women are well informed on the appropriate family planning methods they could practice with their spouse or partner.

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

Rapid population growth is a burden on the resources of many developing countries. Unregulated fertility, which contributes to such situation, contributed to the poor economic development and political instability of these countries. Therefore, many countries consider limiting population growth as an important component of their overall developmental goal to improve living standard and the quality of life of the people. This strategy is now enhanced by the availability of effective modern contraceptives methods. Since 1960s, many international institutions and organizations such as: the World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank (WB), United Nation Population Fund Activities (UNPFA) and United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF), have strongly advocated for family planning as a means of spacing children, having limited family size and should be one of the essential primary health care services provided (Rosenfield & Schwartz, 2005).

The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Cairo, 1994 expanded marital health to a broader scope of reproductive health and endorsed a range of major goals for countries to achieve. Two of the goals are: a) 75 percent reduction in the maternal mortality ratio by 2015 and b) all couples and individuals should have the full opportunity to exercise their right to have children by choice (Rosenfield & Schwartz, 2005). Also, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), adopted by United Nations in 2000 require member countries to achieve a set of 5 goals among which is to improve maternal health by reducing three quarters of the ratio of women dying in childbirth by 2015. In all these programmes, contraception and family planning play a central role in the strategies to achieve the set goals.

Encyclopedia (2013) defined family planning as birth control and other techniques to implement such plans which include sexuality education, prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, pre-conception counselling and management of infertility. It further conceptualizes that family planning is educational, comprehensive medical or social activities which enable individuals to determine freely the number and spacing of their children and to select the means by which this may be achieved. Hence, it implies the ability of individuals and couples to anticipate and attain their desired number of children by spacing and timing their births (Umbeli, Mukhtar & Abusalab, 2005). Usually, family planning practices are of two categories: the traditional methods and the modern (orthodox) methods. The traditional methods include prolonged breast feeding, isolation of women from husband, abstinence from sex, withdrawal method during sex, use of iron ring, use of local concussions and leather belt stuffed with charm among others.

The modern methods include: the use of condom, pills, coils, intra-uterine device (UIDs), and use of injectable hormones, sterilization, vasectomy and douching among others. There are many reasons for family planning which among others include: to prevent pregnancy, to postpone pregnancies, to space children, for those who have all the children they want, to prevent future pregnancies and for health and economic reasons. These reasons are often related to the stage of every woman’s reproductive life whether: single, new marriage, before birth, after first child and before last child. During each stage, contraceptive choices and need vary within this context. Hence, professional counsellors can play a vital role in helping women or couples to choose an appropriate method that matches her or their needs during her or their current stage of reproductive life.

Globally, family planning is promoted as a mechanism to address the reproductive health needs of men and women, as well as the crucial challenge of rapid population increase. Family planning is a practice by which a couple space the number of years between each child they want to give birth to, through the use of contraceptive methods. More than 200 million women in developing countries would like to delay their next pregnancy or even stop bearing children altogether, but many of them still rely on traditional and less effective methods of contraception or use no method at all (UNPFA, 2001). Those who do not use any contraceptive method may lack access or face barriers in using contraceptives. These barriers among others include: lack of awareness, lack of access, cultural factors, religion, opposition to use by partners or family members, and fear of health risks and side effects of contraceptives.

However, despite the campaign on the usefulness of family planning in having smaller and healthier family, United Nation Population Fund Activities (UNPFA) (2001) indicated that contraceptive use is still low in many developing countries, including Nigeria where 23.7% of currently married women had never used one. One may ask if majority of Nigerian women are aware of family planning practices, and also whether very many of them use it for birth control. Observations have shown that some women in the cities, towns and villages are aware of the family planning campaign but many are reluctant to using them. Different factors such as culture, age, education, poverty and poor access among other numerous factors have been identified by scholars to militate against the use of family planning methods (UNPFA, 2001; Rosenfield & Schwartz, 2005).

Traditionally, most Nigerian cultures are highly patriarchal, having value for high fertility and male child preference. Hence, this perhaps could have a negative impact on the utilization of family planning services. A study by Rosenfield & Schwartz (2005) on reproductive motivation and family size preferences among Nigerian men, revealed that the characteristic male dominance, patrilineal traditions support for large family sizes and men’s reproductive motivation to a large extent, affect the reproductive behaviour of their wives. These cultural values undermine the utilization of family planning in many communities in Nigeria like the traditional core areas of Benin, where families still support large family sizes of more than four children per woman, and where polygamy is commonly practiced.

The use of modern contraceptive methods translates into the prevention of unwanted pregnancy and subsequent abortions. If contraceptive usage increases among Nigerian men and women who are sexually active, then, there will be a significant reduction in unwanted pregnancies and abortions leading to reduced maternal mortality. The importance of considering the well-being of women in development planning is well supported by the United Nations and many of its agencies; some of which are United Nation Population Fund Activities (UNPFA), United Nations International Children Educational Fund (UNICEF), and World Health Organization (WHO) among others. These agencies contribute to the increasing campaign for women right in family issues mostly as it pertains to their health and that of their child(ren) (born and yet unborn). Women are both beneficiaries and potential contributors to the development process and active efforts to meet their needs, should be considered a national priority, most especially their reproductive health issues. Despite all this, in most cases especially in rural areas, women do not have a say when it comes to family planning issues and reproductive health care. Many married women also, have been threatened, abused, beaten and sometimes overpowered when it comes to sexual play and matters that concerns family planning. Some married women either due to illiteracy or self-beliefs do not adhere or practice family planning. Many see the use of contraceptives as a portrayal of waywardness

The acceptance of family planning is known to be influenced by social and cultural factors, among others. Some of these factors comprise of family income, age, educational status, and occupation of married couples among others (Shareen, 2011; Ozumba, 2011). Such cultural indolence is often sustained by religious values even when there are no specific prescriptions against birth control. The Old Testament injunction to “be fruitful and multiply” has its counterpart in the teachings of several religions predominantly throughout Sub-Saharan African Countries, Nigeria inclusive. Although, family planning is widely promoted in Nigeria, it is not without ethical issues. Unfortunately in many religions, there is an opposition to human intervention in the reproductive process. This is as a result of the beliefs that procreation is sacred and any interference with it would bring down the wrath of God.

Desire by most individuals and couples for a large family size is as a result of the positive value which the Nigeria society attached to marriage, family life and procreation. Unexpected or unplanned pregnancies possess a major public health challenge in women of reproductive age, especially in developing countries. It has been estimated that of the 210 million pregnancies that occur annually worldwide, about 80 million (38%) are unplanned, and 46 million (22%) end in abortion. More than 200 million women in developing countries would like to delay their next pregnancy or even stop bearing children altogether, but many of them still rely on traditional and less effective methods of contraception or use no method at all (WHO, 2013). Those who do not use any contraceptive method may lack access or face barriers to using contraception. These barriers may include lack of awareness, lack of access, cultural factors, religion, opposition to use by partners or family members and fear of health risks and side effects of contraceptives.

In some areas of Nigeria, one in five women report having experienced an unwanted conception, of these 58% had an abortion and an additional 9% attempted unsuccessfully to end the pregnancy. It is estimated that about 25% of women who have abortion in Nigeria experience serious complications (Ozumba, 2011). Following the health problems inherent in women as a result of early pregnancies, unwanted pregnancies, complications and other health related problems, adopting family planning measures may help reduce unwanted pregnancies and abortions to its barest minimum.

Statement of the Problem

The role of women in child rearing, family care, and the family formation process as a whole, cannot be overemphasized. Unfortunately, women in most cases do not have a say when it comes to family planning issues and reproductive health care. It has been observed that married ones among them, have been threatened, abused, beaten and sometimes overpowered when it comes to sexual play and matters that concerns family planning by their partners. Some married women either due to illiteracy or self-beliefs do not adhere or practice family planning. Many see the use of contraceptives as a portrayal of waywardness. Consequently, many of them get unintended pregnancy that they never planned for.

Birth resulting from unintended pregnancies can have negative consequences including birth defects and low birth weight. Such children are more likely to experience poor mental physical health during childhood, and have lower educational attainment and more behavioural issues in their teen years (UNPFA, 2001). In many male dominated societies Nigeria inclusive, women are not empowered to take decisions for family planning for reasons such as their personal beliefs, tradition, their social attitudes and literacy level. Consequently, many married women bear the burden of child-bearing and rearing with the attendant rigorous house chores and probable break down in health.

Governments have failed to provide basic infrastructure to run family planning programs in rural areas. In Benin metropolis, an average Benin man (irrespective of his age or social status) will want his wife to keep on conceiving until a son is born even if he has more than four female children. Consequently, many married women face the consequence of raising many children without proper child spacing. Many of them even ignore using contraceptives because their husbands do not support the use. Also, elders are often against family planning due to old age tradition and superstitions. Hence, youngsters who want to go in for family planning risk the wrath of elders. This situation poses a question or two on: what is the awareness level of married women on family planning methods and the methods they use to control child birth in Benin metropolis? What personal factors influence the knowledge and practice of family planning methods among married women of reproductive ages in the metropolis? 

Furthermore, several studies have been undertaken on attitude towards contraceptives among married people with respect to their ages and religion respectively (Nyawade, 2008; Ugoji, 2008); family planning methods among married couples in Zululand, South Africa and Delta State, Nigeria respectively (Makhaza & Ige, 2014; Uwe & Okon, 2011); Knowledge, attitude and practices on contraceptive usage among undergraduates in Ekpoma-Edo State (Idonije, Oluba & Otamere, 2011) and Enugu (Ikeme, Ezegwui & Uzodimma, 2005). However, a knowledge gap exists on knowledge and practice of family planning methods among married women with respect to their reproductive ages and educational status in Edo State. Consequently, this study is undertaken to determine the influence of age and educational status on knowledge and practice of family planning methods among married women in Benin metropolis. 

Purpose of the Study

This study examines influence of personal variables on knowledge and practice of family planning methods among married women of reproductive ages in Benin metropolis. Specifically, the study sought to:

  1. determine whether married women in Benin metropolis have knowledge of family planning methods
  2. examine the family planning methods practiced among married women in Benin metropolis
  3. find out the influence of age on knowledge of family planning methods among married women in Benin metropolis
  4. find out the influence of age on practice of family planning methods among married women in Benin metropolis
  5. determine the influence of educational status on knowledge of family planning among married women in Benin metropolisdetermine the influence of educational status on practice of family planning methods among married women in Benin metropolis

Research Questions

This study was guided by the following research questions:

  1. Do married women in Benin metropolis have knowledge of family planning methods?
  2. What are the family planning methods practiced among married women in Benin metropolis?
  3. What is the influence of age on knowledge of family planning methods among married women in Benin metropolis?
  4. What is the influence of age on practice of family planning methods among married women in Benin metropolis?
  5. What is the influence of educational status on knowledge of family planning among married women in Benin metropolis?
  6. What is the influence of educational status on practice of family planning methods among married women in Benin metropolis?

Hypotheses

The following research hypotheses were tested in the study:

  1. There is no significant difference between old and young married women on knowledge of family planning methods.
  2. There is no significant difference between old and young married women on practice of family planning methods.
  3. There is no significant difference between well-educated and less-educated married women on knowledge of family planning methods.
  4. There is no significant difference between well-educated and less-educated married women on practice of family planning methods.

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will be of immense benefit to married men and women, guidance counsellors, public health administrators, the government and prospective researchers. The findings would be of benefit to them in the following ways:

To married men and women, findings from the study would show them the various family planning methods used by married women in Benin metropolis. Hence, this could help to show them the various family planning options available as well as the one they could adopt for their sex life with their life partner.

Guidance counsellors and public health Administrators would also benefit from this study in that findings would avail them with information on the level of awareness and methods of family planning adopted by married women of reproductive age. Hence, the outcome of the study could bring about increasing sensitization or awareness campaign on the use of safe family planning methods in the Benin metropolis and beyond.

Findings from this study would help the government to ascertain the influence of age and educational status on family planning methods practiced by married women in the metropolis. Hence, this could afford them the opportunity of determining the age status or class of married educated women to provide detailed information on birth control methods or family planning.

Lastly, findings from the study will contribute to knowledge, provoke further researches on this area and consequently lead to the production of more empirical data that would be of benefit to prospective researchers in the future. 

Scope of the Study

The study will cover all married women of reproductive age in Benin metropolis including market women, civil servants, teachers, female local farmers, women in religious worship centres, health workers at the family planning unit, post-natal, and ante-natal unit of the Central Hospital Benin City, St. Philomena Hospital Benin City, Faith Medical Centre, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City, Our Medical Centre, Benin City, Military Hospital, Benin City and Rohobot Medical Centre, Benin City. The study will examine the influence of age and educational status on the knowledge and practice of family planning methods among married women of reproductive ages in Benin metropolis

Limitations of the Study

Essentially, this study focused on the influence of age and educational qualification on knowledge and practice of family planning methods married women of reproductive ages in Benin metropolis. The population of the study covered market women, civil servants, teachers, female local farmers, women in religious worship centres, health workers at the family planning unit, post-natal, and ante-natal unit of selected hospitals in the metropolis. Hence, exclusion of other category of women reproductive ages such as academics, bankers, and public office servants (who usually possess high educational qualification), shows that generalizations from the study is only based on facts collected from women who are seemingly of low socio-economic background. Thus, generalizations from this study may be limited. Furthermore, the study relied only on questionnaire for collecting data. Recently, there have been clamour for both qualitative and quantitative methods for data collection. Hence, the involvement of interview schedule and focused group discussions (FGDs) with women of various ages and educational status would have further helped to determine the family planning methods practiced among married women in the study area.

Operational Definition of Terms

The following terms are operationally defined for the study:

Family Planning: This refers to birth spacing or birth control methods used by married women in preventing a pregnancy.

Knowledge: This refers to awareness of married women in Benin metropolis on the various family planning methods or contraceptive practices.

Family Planning Methods: These are devices or practices used or employed by married women to prevent pregnancy. Some of the devices include among others: contraceptive pills, condoms, and hormonal injection, while the practices include withdrawal methods, calendar estimation and abstinence from sex among others.

Married Women of Reproductive Age: This refers to women still living with their spouse within the marriageable and child bearing age of 18-55years.

Ages: This refers to the oldness or youngness of women of married women of reproductive age.

Old Women: This are married women that are above the age of 30years.

Young Women: This are married women that are below the age of 30years

Well-Educated Women: This are married women that are degree holders. They cover married women with degrees and post-graduate degrees such as bachelor degrees, masters and doctorate among others from tertiary institutions.

Less-Educated Women: This are married women that do not hold a bachelor degree as their highest educational qualification but have lesser qualifications such as: diploma(s) (ND, OND, HND), secondary education, or primary school certificate.

 

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CAUSES OF MARITAL INFIDELITY AMONG MARRIED WOMEN

PUBLIC PERCEPTION ON THE PREVALENCE AND CAUSES OF MARITAL INFIDELITY AMONG MARRIED WOMEN

ABSTRACT

Every society has its norms and values about sex in marital relationship. Infidelity in marriage is a social issue various society, religion, and age frown at. Married women are known to be chaste and faithful to their marital vows. This practice is gradually waning. This study examined the prevalence and causes of marital infidelity among married women in Enugu North local government area, Enugu State. The study was conducted between November 2017 and May 2018 based on a survey of 400 respondents through the use of multi-stage sampling technique. The information for this study was obtained from the respondents using questionnaires & in-depth interview. The stated research questions formed the basis for data analysis. The data were collated and analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) software version 20. The findings, among other things, show that majority of the respondents were aware that married women engage in marital infidelity. 77.6% agreed to sexual infidelity as the most common form of infidelity, and 28.5% agreed to economic support as the major reasons why women engage in infidelity through. Religious opposition and customs were found to have a significant influence on the attitude towards marital infidelity in Enugu North local government area. The researcher therefore suggests a need to educate the people on the health challenges and other problems associated with marital infidelity. This should be accompanied by sanctions for defaulters. Economic empowerment of women would go a long way in discouraging marital infidelity among married women in Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu State.

 

CHAPTER ONE

 INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background of the Study

Marriage is one of the oldest institutions associated with human society. It is one that has repeatedly been emphasized in every society and constitutes the yardstick for the determination of responsibility in the families. Ofoegbu (2002)   defined marriage as an arrangement of social structure which results in the establishment of a relationship of a legal customary or religious bond between a man and his wife for the propagation of the family root through procreation and sharing of various types of other acceptable relationship norms. Marriage of some kind is found virtually in every society. But throughout the centuries, marriage has taken many different forms. Understanding of marriage contrasts greatly from culture to culture, some view the institution as endogamous (men were required to marry within their social group, family, clan or tribe), exogamous (marrying outside the geographical region or social group) or polygamous (allowing people (both men and women) to take more than one partner.

Denga (1990) as cited in Yahaya, Esere, Ogunsanmi & Onye (2008) states that marriage is a partnership contract without escape clauses because it connotes a lifelong arrangement where the couple should permanently survive a multitude of demanding situations such as illness, financial constraints and so on. At any given time in human history, a family comes into existence each time a marriage is successfully contracted. The family is the most important primary group and the smallest social unit in any particular society. Family setting is universal because the human society exists or has existed with some form of family organization. Akubue & Okolo, (2008) referred to family as any group of people who interact and communicate with each other such as husband, wife and children in organizational settings. In the Nigeria context, because of the phenomenon of the extended family system, the family is made up of married people, their off springs and immediate kith and kin and other dependents (Onwuasonya, 2006).

From creation, every society has its traditional practices such as loving one’s spouse, having sex only with ones partner among others, which are pronounced during marriage ceremonies are expected of couples to boost the image and self-esteem of their partners. Some partners deviate from these norms and exhibit it outside their marital homes. This has been a source of marital dispute and instability among couples. The negative outcome of this often times impacts the children psychologically and socially (Fernando, 2013). Contemporary society is bedeviled with marital problems which are not in accordance with the standards, norms and values of traditional society.

Marital fidelity has been known not only to keep a family together but also a generation of individuals that respect the sanctity of marriage. People get married with fidelity in mind but infidelity has always been documented to affect almost 80% of marriage around the world. Infidelity in marriage is a social issue various society, religion and age frown at, and as a result stringent measures are placed to curtail this act. In some societies, the penalty could be as stiff as death. However, infidelity strives leaving the people to wonder why it has taken a form of legacy passed from one generation to the other. (Ejaifo, 2012).

Infidelity in marriage is gradually becoming a norm. Female infidelity is the new trend because extra marital sex by men is socially tolerated and in many respects, even socially rewarded. The prevalence of married men’s participation in extra marital sex in Nigeria is well documented (Karanja, 1987; Onusuloye, Caldwell & Caldwell, 1997; Lawoyin & Larsen, 2002; Mitsunaga, Powell, Antonia, Heard, Nathan, Larsen., 2005). A report out of the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University found that for the first time in modern history, women are cheating at nearly the same rate as men. Another study, published in the National Opinion Research center’s 2013 General Social Survey, found that while the percentage of men who admitted to infidelity has held constant over the last two decades, the percentage of wives who reported having affairs rose almost 40 percent.

Before the advent of civilization, married women, no matter the conditions they found themselves never became promiscuous; they remained chaste and faithful to their vows. Cheating among Nigerian women is the new trend, which is abstract and very different to what was in existence two decades ago, when women were faithful, patient and more tolerating (Ejaifo, 2012).        

Against this background, this study is aimed at investigating the causes of marital infidelity among women in Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu State.

1.2     Statement of the Problem 

Marital infidelity among women which was a rare phenomenon has apparently become common place today in the Nigerian society. According to a new report by Durex, a condom manufacturing company in 2012, Nigerian women are ranked the most unfaithful in the world with 62 percent.

Infidelity impacts strongly on the functionality and stability of relationship (Drigotas, Safstrom, & Gontlia, 1999; Whisman, Dixon & Johnson, 1997).

John Kester, a sociologist at the University of Lagos reports that infidelity not only hurts the relationship but has an adverse impact on family life, particularly if children are involved. When a mother is having an affair there is a different reaction in children, this is because the mother is still most often considered the focus of the family and of course when the child learns of an affair, he or she is in danger of testing confidence in the inability of marriage and family.

Research on marital infidelity shows that it  leads to marital strife leading to divorce, wife battering, prostitution in urban areas, children born of different fathers and the spread of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) (National Aids Control Council (NACC), 2007). Marital infidelity has been associated with increased risk of mental health problems, including depression and anxiety (Cano & O’ Leary, 2000).

Marital Infidelity by impacts negatively on the development in any given area due to its effect on people involved. Resources that are made for the development of the family are deviated to cater for extra-marital affairs and the treatment of HIV/AIDS (Kenya Forum, 2013). Infidelity by women could also enhance the spread of sexually transmitted disease (STD) such as gonorrhea, Chlamydia, syphilis, and many others. Reproductive health of the women are most times usually affected, thus resulting to loss of lives by the women or mothers, thereby making their children become orphans, or even school dropouts, thus becoming touts and juvenile deliquents.

Despite its negative effects on the health of their family members and the society at large, it is worrisome to observe that married women still indulge in extramarital affairs. What could be behind this rise? Could it be that married women are lacking some fundamental needs in family relationship which they seek to satisfy from external sources?

It is in view of these concerns that this study is being carried out to find out the prevalence and causes of marital infidelity by women in Enugu North Local Government Area of Enugu State.       

1.3     Research Questions

The following research questions were put forward to guide the study:

  1. What are the patterns of marital infidelity among married women in Enugu North L.G.A. of Enugu state?
  2. What are the attitudes of people towards marital infidelity among married women in Enugu North L. G. A. of Enugu State?
  3. What are the factors responsible for marital infidelity among married women in Enugu North L. G. A. of Enugu State?
  4. What are the challenges resulting from marital infidelity among married women in Enugu North L. G. A. of Enugu State?
  5. What strategies can be put in place to reduce or address the prevalence of marital infidelity among women in Enugu North L.G.A, of Enugu State?

1.4     Objectives of the Study

The main objective of the study was to ascertain the causes of marital infidelity among women in Enugu North L. G. A. of Enugu State.

The specific objectives of the study were as follows:

  1. To find out the patterns of marital infidelity among married women in Enugu North L. G. A, of Enugu State.
  2. To identify the attitude of people towards marital infidelity among married women in Enugu North L. G. A of Enugu State.
  3. To ascertain the factors responsible for marital infidelity among married women in Enugu North L. G. A, of Enugu State.
  4. To investigate the challenges resulting from infidelity among married women in Enugu North L. G. A of Enugu State.
  5. To proffer plausible solutions/strategies that will help curtail the prevalence of marital infidelity among women in Enugu North L. G. A, of Enugu State.

1.5     Significance of the Study

This study has both practical and theoretical significance.

Practically, the study will help to resuscitate marriage and improve marriage relationship by helping married people to keep to their marital vows and have healthy spousal relationships. It will help to create societal awareness on the damages and harm of infidelity, if not properly curbed.

Theoretically, the findings will give first-hand information to religious leaders, marriage counselors, women organizations on the prevalence and causes of marital infidelity among women, with a view to give proper counseling to spouses either before or during the marriage sessions. With the knowledge, the curriculum planners would include issues that bother on family and procreation into subjects like, Sociology, Civic Education, Sexuality Education and Social Studies. Findings of the study will also add to existing knowledge and literature that have addressed the issue of marital infidelity among married women in Enugu North Local Government Area, Enugu State and Nigeria at large.

1.6     Definition of terms

Attitude: It refers to the way we think or view someone or something.

Couple: This refers to two people who are married, are living together or having an intimate relationship, as socially approved.   

Divorce: It is the legal ending of marriage between couples so that husband and wife are free to remarry again.

Early marriage: Early marriage is a marriage that occurs before a person reaches the age of consent (18 years). It is also known as child marriage.

Gender: It refers to culturally and historically specific concepts of femininity and masculinity. It reflects the power relations between men and women; social construction of sex roles between men and women.

Infidelity: It is referred to as cheating or adultery when married. It is a violation of a couple’s assumed or stated contract regarding emotional and or sexual exclusivity.

Marriage: In the context of this study, marriage can be seen as the legalizing of a special relationship between a man and a woman to which the society gives its approval. It places each partner under legal and social obligations to the other and to the society.

Pattern: A particular way in which something is done, or been organized or happens.

Prevalence: It is a term which means being widespread. It tells us about the number of particular events in the community.

Socio-Economic Factors: These are conditions that necessitate and sustain the status of individuals in family and community in terms of formal education, occupation, income, health and cultural freedom.       

 

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