Intimate Partner Violence and Social Work Intervention in Akwa Ibom State, South South Nigeria

Intimate partner violence constitutes a pervasive human rights and public health crisis in Nigeria, with significant implications for victims' physical safety, psychological wellbeing, and economic independence. This study evaluates social work intervention strategies for survivors of intimate partner violence in Akwa Ibom State, focusing on cases handled through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare in Uyo and Ikot Ekpene local government areas. A descriptive survey design is adopted, with data collected from 95 respondents including survivors, social workers, and welfare officers through structured questionnaires. Data analysis employs frequency distributions and percentages. The study finds that most survivors encountered by social workers are women experiencing physical, emotional, and economic abuse within marital relationships. Interventions include safety planning, shelter provision, psychological support, and referrals to legal aid services. Despite these efforts, the study identifies critical gaps in service coverage, including inadequate crisis shelters, insufficient legal protection for survivors, and high case withdrawal rates due to financial dependency on abusers. Recommendations include strengthening legal frameworks for addressing intimate partner violence, expanding social work capacity in rural local government areas, and establishing economic empowerment programmes alongside counselling services to address survivors' dependency challenges. Keywords: intimate partner violence, social work, survivors, Akwa Ibom State, counselling