Socio-Cultural Dynamics in the Transmission of COVID-19 and Experience of Inmate Partner Violence amongst Women in Urban and Rural Communities in South West Nigeria

The Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) caused by SARS-COV-2, a novel corona virus strain, was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11 2020. Measures taken to reduce the transmission of the disease included the stay-athome order (lockdown or shelter in place directives) put in place by various state Governors and the Government of Nigeria, has brought with it physical, social, emotional, psychological and economic stresses. Women and adolescents were particularly vulnerable during this period to the risk of violence, a broad term that includes Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). Reports from organizations that respond to Violence Against Women (VAW) revealed an alarming trend of increased reports of IPV during the current COVID-19 pandemic. The objectives of this research are to identify the social-cultural factors that may drive COVID-19 transmission in Nigeria, to determine the prevalence of IPV, to compare the forms of IPV among women before and during the lockdown, explore the women's experiences of IPV due to the influence of the pandemic, and design an intervention for victims' counselling, support and treatment. The project would be conducted in three phases (pre-intervention, intervention and post-intervention phases) in Primary health care centers in communities of If-Ijesa zone in South West Nigeria. The study population comprise of 400 registered female attendees aged 15-49 years, at the facility It is a concurrent mixed method approach will be adopted, were the quantitative aspect of the research will be conducted alongside the qualitative aspect of the research. 200 women with experience of IPV would be enrolled to partake in the intervention phase. The findings from this study will contribute to the body of knowledge on socio-cultural dynamics and IPV related to the COVID 19 pandemic in sub-Sahara Africa. Expected Outputs The following would be achieved by the end of the project: 1. Socio-cultural factors that driving COVID-19 transmission in communities in Osun State in South West Nigeria would be identified. 2. The number of women who experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) would be determined from the total number of women who attended the selected Primary Health Care Centers within the study duration. 3. The forms and experience of IPV among women before and during the lockdown would be compared and explored. 4. The women who experience IPV would be enrolled into intervention programme offering counselling, support and treatment for victims. 5. At least two manuscripts from the project would be publish in reputable journals 6. Advocacy for support for women who experienced IPV would be communicated to Government, NGOs and stakeholders through policy breifs and stakeholders meetings.