It Would Affect Them: Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on Female Students in a Nigerian University

Currently, the commonest hidden form of abuse or violence that is connected to cultural beliefs and societal settings is intimate partner violence (IPV). The need to understudy intimate partner violence among female undergraduate students in Nigeria as well as the impact of IPV on females cannot be overemphasized. This qualitative study involved 15 undergraduate female students in the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers state, Nigeria. Fifteen in-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted, and semi-structured questions were used for data collection, and Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA) was used to analyze the data. Themes such as forms of IPV, mental health issues and IPV, as well as the impact of IPV were generated for the study. Results revealed that emotional violence was the commonest form of IPV experienced while low self-esteem and depression were the mental disorders prevalent among female students experiencing IPV. These challenges lead to suicide, dropping out of school, lack of concentration, and poor academic performance. The study suggests that enlightenment and sensitization programs by social workers and other relevant professionals, as well as the introduction of compulsory courses that sensitize students on IPV, should be introduced.