Comparison of the Frequency of Domestic Violence against Women in Cameroon and Some Sub-Saharan African Countries

Teke Johnson Takwa, Institut de Formation et de Recherche Démographiques (IFORD)

Domestic violence refers to any act of physical or psychological violence committed against a partner (usually the woman) by someone with whom they share an intimate relationship (usually the man) irrespective of whether they share the same roof or not. The degradation of moral values has amplified domestic violence. Statistics show that its prevalence is higher in Cameroon than in many other countries of Sub-Saharan Africa . While violent acts against female victims are common in all societies, a comparative study using data from various Demographic and Health Surveys carried in eleven Africa countries (Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Malawi, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, Sao Tome and Principe and Uganda) between 2008 and 2013 shows that they are more in Cameroon than almost all of these countries. The forms of domestic violence examined are physical assault on women aged 15-49, sex assault and physical violence on women during during pregnancy.