Women as perpetrators of intimate partner violence in Ghana

Previous studies on intimate partner violence in sub-Saharan Africa and Ghana focused mainly on male-perpetrated violence, with little emphasis on female-perpetrated abuse and the factors influencing it. Using nationally representative cross-sectional data collected in 2017 from a sample of 2,289 Ghanaian women and applying regression techniques, this study explored the determinants of female-perpetrated violence. Results indicate that a substantial proportion of respondents perpetrated emotional violence against their partners; few used physical or sexual violence. Victims of intimate partner violence were more likely to perpetrate violence against their partners than those who had never been victimised. Women were more likely to perpetrate specific types of violence (physical, sexual or emotional) if they: thought their partners were controlling; expected to encounter violence in the future; thought their relationships had some level of tension; and/or were exposed to violence in their early childhood. The findings provide qualified support for the proposition that women perpetrate violence against their partners for reasons of self-defence but also show that the violence is mutual and bidirectional. The findings point to the complexities of the context of the violence perpetrated by women and suggest that domestic violence interventions should acknowledge these complexities.