An Examination of Gender Role Ideology, Religiosity, and Personality in Perpetrator Behavior in Ghana

Abstract

This study examined predictive factors that cause perpetrator behavior in domestic violence. Data for study were obtained from a survey conducted between March and May 2014 in Medina and its environs in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana. Two hundred and fifty-three (253)participants took part in study. Three major statistical tests were used to analyze the hypotheses. These were the Pearson‟s Product Moment correlation coefficient, standard regression and the two ANOVA. Findings reveal that Individuals holding traditional gender role ideology are likely to be perpetrators of domestic violence. This finding supports the notion of traditional gender role ideology as the principal predictive factor of perpetrator behavior among the Ghanaian people. It is recommended that government and stakeholders dealing with issues of domestic violence should educate those holding inflexible traditional values about the potential danger of these values. The study‟s implication for research and practice within the Ghanaian society are discussed.