Domestic Violence against Women in Ghana: An Exploratory Study in Upper West Region, Ghana

As elsewhere, domestic violence is prevalent in Ghana. This paper was conducted in the Upper West Region of Ghana and aimed to explore domestic violence from the perspectives of adult men and women. The study participants were selected based on purposive sampling. Due to its qualitative nature, 20 married male and female participants were recruited for the study. The data was obtained through in-depth semi-structured interviews. Participants reported that domestic violence is a serious issue in the study area and 60% believed that it may not be justifiable. Eighteen participants identified husbands as main instigators of domestic violence. Participants thought that violence could have far-reaching effects. To understand comprehensively domestic violence in Ghana, we should explore some socio-demographic variables. Based on this study's findings, further research could use more representative sample (from all 10 regions of Ghana), employ more feminist ethnographic methodologies, and incorporate longitudinal designs in order to gain more in-depth perspectives on domestic violence. A more nuanced study could be carried out to investigate the relationship between domestic violence and education, as the present study suggests that education significantly decreases domestic violence.