Determinants of Domestic Violence Against Women Attending Health Centers in Enugu Urban

Domestic violence remains unacceptably high with numerous consequences ranging from psychological to maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity outcomes in pregnant women. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the determinants of domestic violence against women of childbearing age attending health centers in Enugu urban. The study adopted descriptive design. Questionnaire was used as instrument for data collection. A sample size of 155 childbearing women was determined using power analysis. Multi-stage sampling was used to distribute the questionnaires, data was analyzed using frequencies and percentages and presented in tables and figures. Median age range of respondents is 26-35 years (38%). Most were Igbos (83.8%), Christians (98%), married (86.5%). Majority had tertiary education (44.5%), and were traders (43.2%). On physical determinants of domestic violence t he result showed that most of the respondents (37.4%) said that it's when they talk harshly to their husband, (17%) said that it's because their husband is suspecting them of having an affair, (8.3%) said that it's when they come home late, (10.3%) said that it's when they deny their husband sex, (9%) said that it's when their husband hears gossips of what other women are doing and they then assume that they are behaving that way, and (18%) said that it's when they begin to monitor their husband's phone calls and female friends. The researcher recommends that health workers at every level should be trained on how to notice subtle clues of domestic violence on pregnant women and how to broaden the subject assertively.