Examining Childhood Sexual Violence: An African Womanist Analysis of Childhood Sexual Violence in Nigeria Público
Fasanmi, Abidemi Omolara (Spring 2019)
Published
Abstract
Examining Childhood Sexual Violence:
An African Womanist Analysis of Childhood Sexual Violence in Nigeria
By Abidemi Omolara Fasanmi
Africa, particularly West Africa, reveals a scarcity of theoretical, ethnographic or qualitative work on childhood sexual violence (CSV). Feminist theorizing of sexual violence has been generated overwhelmingly in the Global North. Most of the work on sexual violence in Africa is conducted on contemporary legal and medical issues from a public health perspective, and this is important work. However, we need insights provided by an explicitly African feminist/womanist lens which draws our attention to age grades, dual sex systems, and the importance of different cultural understandings of sexual violence. My dissertation, therefore, brings sexual violence against Nigerian children into focus calling for a critical examination of the medico-legal system and underlying socio-economic, cultural and religious practices within Nigerian society that foster sexual violence against children.
My methodology is interdisciplinary and applies feminist, African womanist, and public health lenses to explore definitions of family and community by interrogating framings of sexual violence, redress, and justice for child sexual violence survivors. The dissertation examines the co-optation of medical intervention within an unresponsive legal system. It also analyzes the intersections, interactions and implications of governmental and communal understandings of and approaches to childhood sexual violence. Furthermore, it explores childhood sexual violence and the significance of social networks - hierarchical and inter-generational relationships while paying attention to cultural, religious and economic influences. Second, it employs public health mixed methods to evaluate associations between emotional violence, socio-economic, and cultural factors and childhood sexual violence in Nigeria.
I determine that an African womanist/socio-ecologic framework is required for illuminating how social relations and the need for ‘social belonging’ in a child’s socialization process enable or dis-enable current childhood sexual violence intervention efforts in Nigeria. An African womanist/socio-ecologic framework also enables childhood sexual violence intervention programmers to re-vision, diffract and design contextually transformative and actionable solutions. Thus, this dissertation contributes to understandings of sexual violence in an African country and to fields such as women’s gender and sexuality studies, public health, religion, and law.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments vi
Table of Contents viii
List of Tables and Figures x
Abbreviations xi
INTRODUCTION 1
Interdisciplinary Scope of Work 7
Outline of the Dissertation 9
CHAPTER ONE: Understanding the setting 12
Background 12
Sexual Violence 14
The Nigerian Law and Sexual Violence 17
Nigeria 17
The Medico-Legal System 21
Family 25
Family Structure in Nigeria 25
Socio-ecologic Framework 30
Family, Community, and Social Belonging in Nigeria 34
Sexuality 39
Childhood Sexuality, Culture, and Community 39
Relevant Childhood Sexual Violence Frameworks 42
International Frameworks on Violence Against Children: The World Stands Together Protecting Children 42
Human Rights vs Socio-ecological Framework 43
African Child Rights, Childhood Sexual Violence, and Gender-based Violence Framework 46
Surveys 46
Violence Against Children (VAC) Survey 46
CHAPTER TWO: Feminists Theorizing Rape, Childhood Sexual Violence, and a Critique of the Medico-Legal Framework for Redress 52
Introduction 52
Sexual Violence, Social Norms, and Legal Constructs 53
Problematizing the Medico-Legal System for Addressing Sexual Violence and Rape 62
Sexual Violence and Justice: African Critiques 65
Of Gender- Why They Matter 65
Of Personhood and Womanhood 68
Complementary Approaches to Sexual Violence Justice in Nigeria: Unexplored Spaces 72
Conclusion 75
CHAPTER THREE: Associations Between Socioeconomic and Socio-Normative Conditions, Emotional Violence, and the Experience of Childhood Sexual Violence in Nigeria 77
Introduction 78
Statement of Problem- Nigerian Context 78
Purpose of the Study 85
Research Questions 86
Definition of Terms 88
The Significance of the Study 90
Methodology 94
Ethical Considerations 94
Study Design 94
Methods 96
Qualitative Study 97
Qualitative Analysis 99
Quantitative Study 102
Measures 104
Quantitative Analysis 108
Results 109
Qualitative Data Findings 109
Quantitative Data Findings 115
Discussion 123
VACS and Study Design Limitations, Strengths and Future Research 126
Policy Implications 130
Recommendations 131
Conclusion 133
CHAPTER FOUR: Re-envisioning the Childhood Sexual Violence Intervention: An African Womanist Perspective of Weaving Theory into Practice 134
Re-visioning Theorizations of Childhood Sexual Violence 134
Diffractions 143
Re-visioning—Old Truths Revisited: Epistemologies and Methodologies 147
Epistemologies 147
Methodology 154
Acting 159
Interventional approaches 159
Culture, Religion, & Justice 160
Cultural synthesis for Action 163
Health is Justice and Justice is Health: Unhinging “Health and Justice” to Free access to Health 164
Conclusion 165
Bibliography 167
About this Dissertation
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