Keywords:
Intimate Partner, Intimate Partner Violence, Female Head Porter, Intimate Partner Relationship, Migrants.Abstract
Intimate partner violence has been in existence and is a social problem in many countries including Ghana. Studies on intimate partner violence over the years have focused on the general population by neglecting certain groups of people like migrant women who are more vulnerable to it. It is based on this that this study explored the contributing factors to intimate partner violence among migrant female head porters in Kumasi, Ghana. The study adopted a qualitative research design in which 20 participants were interviewed. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were adopted. Findings of the study revealed that individual factors such as drug and alcohol abuse, low level of education, childhood exposure to violence and personal beliefs contributed to the abuse of migrant female head porters. In addition the study found that family/relational factors like interference from extended family members and disagreement on the time to have sexual intercourse contributed to abuse. Moreover, social structural factors like poverty and societal attitudes and perception contributed to abuse. Polygamy and cultural beliefs also served as socio-cultural factors that contributed to abuse. Based on the findings the study recommended that specific programs should be developed by the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of the Ghana police service to limit the occurrences of intimate partner violence among migrant women.
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