Neurotic Personality Traits: Prevalence of domestic abuse among inmates in prisons in Kiambu County, Kenya.
- April 4, 2022
- Posted by: rsispostadmin
- Categories: IJRISS, Social Science
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume VI, Issue III, March 2022 | ISSN 2454–6186
Harun Issack Hassan, Dr. Mokua Gilbert Maroko, Dr. Jane Karimi
Mount Kenya University
ABSTRACT
The prevalence of domestic abuse in Kenya is about 39% and is heavily exacerbated by issues such as the individuals’ personality traits and their past experiences. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of neurotic personality traits on domestic abuse among prisoners convicted for domestic abuse in prisons in Kiambu County, Kenya. The study used both correlational and phenomenological research designs. The target population was 10,334 inmates convicted of domestic related crimes with a sample size of 370. From the findings the respondents who were more confident, resilient, and secure and the type of physical abuse they perpetrated, 28.8% indicated physical abuse, 21.2% indicated sexual abuse, 16.0% indicated financial abuse, and 17.9% indicated emotional abuse while 16.0% were not sure. This study concluded that prevalence of domestic abuse is determined by neurotic personality traits. An implication of this finding is discussed.
Keywords: Neuroticism, traits, inmates, prisons, domestic abuse, inmates
Introduction
Domestic abuse prevalence ranges from 23.2% to 37.7% in high-income countries of Southeast Asian Region (WHO, 2017). In the Sub-Saharan Africa region, domestic abuse prevalence is at 36.6%. In their qualitative research on gender norms held by women and men, which could be fuelling intimate partner abuse in Ghana, Dako-Gyeke et al. (2019) found that male perpetrated abuse is commonplace within the study community. This study is in agreement with research conducted in Uganda (Gubi et al., 2020) and Tanzania (Laisser et al., 2011), both of which reveal that women victims of domestic abuse reported dehumanization effect involving partner abuse (Homa, et al., 2017, Aphane & Mofokeng, 2018). These and other studies have focused on highlighting the problem from a gender perspective through a victim lens with little or no leaning on the psychological aspects of the perpetrator’s behaviour. Other studies focused much on domestic abuse prevalence among the broader population, but no studies highlight domestic abuse prevalence among prison inmates. The studies concentrated on the victims’ traits. However, they failed to look at inmates serving sentences for domestic abuse in prisons if they obtain a high score in avoidant, self-destructive, schizoid, and paranoid personality; and if they exhibit dependency, insecurity, inferiority, low self-esteem, and social isolation.
Like in other African countries and the rest of the world, the state of abuse against women in Kenya is a complex problem exacerbated by issues such as their socio-economic status. A study assessing intimate partner abuse in informal settlements in Nairobi found that living conditions significantly influenced the likelihood of abuse. In a survey involving young people in informal settlements in Kenya, it was also found that 16% had been victims of abuse perpetrated by a family member (Memiah, et al., 2018). Chiang, Howard and Mwangi (2018) found that having experienced different types of childhood abuse was a key element of intimate partner violence after the age of 18 years. Different studies have reported varying levels of prevalence of domestic abuse. Studies indicate that an overwhelmingly high majority of women in Kibera have experienced domestic abuse in their life against a national prevalence of 39% (Dworkin, Gandhi & Passano, 2017). However, the prevalence of domestic abuse among inmates in prisons in Kenya is yet to be known.
Organizations such as the Federation of Women Lawyers in Kenya (FIDA) have identified domestic abuse to affect about 50% of women in Kenya. They argue that most of these women are mostly abused by their male partners, which is aggravated by the skewed power balance with women being economically dependent on their partners. As a result, several measures are taken to combat the vice at the local level. These include civic education programs targeting women, rehabilitation centres, and the protection against domestic abuse bill signed into law in 2015. Despite these interventions, abuse on women persists in Kenya, with the Gender Violence Recovery Centre in Nairobi treating almost 20 patients daily for domestic abuse and rape (Masinjila & Tuju, 2016). The studies failed to address whether inmates in prisons who are domestic abuse perpetrators have similar characteristics.
