Abstract

This chapter entails the background to the area of the study, statement of the problem, research objective scope of the study, research questions significance of the study and chapterization, methodology, research design and the literature review. The above mentioned areas are of significance in this study since the chapter is the very foundation and reason why we are to carry out this study. 1.1.1 Background of the study Over the past decade, recognition of the scope and significance of domestic violence globally has increased. Domestic violence has been defined as "the range of sexually, psychologically and physically coercive acts used against adult and adolescent women by current or former male intimate partners" 1 • A growing body of evidence is highlighting the magnitude of the problem of domestic violence in developing countries2 • In sub-Saharan Africa, empirical evidence on the prevalence of domestic violence is limited and confined to a small number ofpopulation-based3 or special-population studies4 • Recognition of the links between domestic violence and a range of adverse reproductive health outcomes including non-use of contraception and unintended pregnancy5 , poor outcomes of pregnancy and birth6 , gynaecological morbidit/ and sexually transmitted diseases and human immunodeficiency virus (HJV)8 is also growing.