Intra-gender Victimization
An Hamper to the Affirmation of Women’s Political Rights in Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12700/jceeas.2025.5.1.329Keywords:
Intra-Sexual Victimization, Victim Culpability, Political Participation, Women, Nego-FeminismAbstract
Appreciable women’s political participation in Nigeria is yet to be a reality even after several years of advocacies, policies and litigations and a court order. Women’s poverty, patriarchy, culture, religious among other factors beyond women’s control have often been highlighted as being responsible for hindering their political participation. Springing from the perspective of victim culpability introduced into victimology by Mendelsohn, this paper argues that there are some forms of passive and active intra-sexual victimization that actually are lending support to these other limiting factors already identified by most scholars. Intra-sexual victimization among women expresses itself through failed socialization function, ineffective negotiation, intra-sexual envy and unhealthy rivalry, greed and selfishness, failure to make significant difference with few opportunities. etc. To this end, it is recommended that in the pursuit of this course, women be more united, take advantage of their socializing function, invest more in personal development, shun all forms of corrupt practices, take more deliberate steps towards mentorship and sponsorship of potential and suitable female candidates, explore the informal mode of negotiation and practice the principles of nego-feminism.
References
Abekwe, E. O. (2017). Intra-gender subjugation among women in Nigeria: A study of Stephanie Okere’s dry. Creative Artist 11, 84-102
Abdo-Katsipis, C.B. (2017) Women, political participation, and the Arab Spring: Political awareness and participation in democratizing Tunisia, Journal of Women, Politics & Policy, 38(4). 413-29 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1554477X.2016.1268870
Alliance for Africa. (2022). Full implementation of 35% Affirmative Action of Women in public governance leadership. Alliance for Africa. Retrieved 24th June 2023 from https://allianceforafrica.org/full-implementation-of-35-affirmative-action-of -women-in-public-governance-leadership/
Andrew, S.U. & Ashibi, J. E. (2022). Widowhood rites: A Threat to the Actualization of Women’s Right in Nigeria. Nigerian National Journal of Human Rights Commission, 8, 126- 140
Andrew, S. U., Egbe D., & Ayuk, A. A. (2024). Politicians’ Pay and Political Crime in Nigeria: Southern Crossriverians’ Perspective. F U O Y E Journal of Criminology and Security Studies (IJCSS) Department of Criminology and Security Studies. 3(1), 119-137
American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity (2023). Affirmative Action Policies Throughout History. American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity. Retrieved June 30, 2023 from https://www.aaaed.org/aaaed/History_of_Affirmative_Action.asp
Cheng, M. (2023). Complacency vs. contentment: 7 reasons why diving and sharing will make you happy. Thrive Global. Retrieved June 28, 2023 htpps://community.thriveglobal.comcomplacency-vs-contentment-7-reasons-why-giving-and-sharing-will-make-you-happy/
Clevenger, S. Navarro, J. N. Marcus, C. D. & Higgins, G. E. (2018). Understanding Victimology: An Active Learning Approach. Routledge
Ejekwonyilo, A. (April 6, 2022). Affirmative Action: Court orders Nigerian govt to reserve 35% of public offices for women. Premium Times Retrieved on July 2, 2023 from https: //www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/522195-affirmative-action-court-orders-nigerian-govt-to-reserve-35-of-public-offices-for-women-html?tztc=1
Eniola, B.O. (2018). Gender parity in parliament: A panacea for the promotion and protection of women's rights in Nigeria, Frontiers in Sociology, vol. 3, p. 34. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2018.00034
Finnis, A. (2022) How many prime ministers has Uk had? What happened to Margaret Thatcher. Inewa News. Retrieved 24th June 2023 from https//:inewa.co.uk.news.politics.female-prime-ministers-how-many-uk-had-what-happened-maergaret-tharcher-theresa-may-1833995
Grady, C. (2018). The Waves of Feminism, and Why People Keep Fighting Over Them, Explained Retrieved on 22nd September 2023 from VOX: https://www.vox. com/2018/3/20/16955588/feminism-waves-explained-first-second-third-fourth.
Ibekwe, J. C. & Chidiobi, O. C. (2022). Goodluck Jonathan, The Champion of Women in the Contemporary Nigeria, 2010-2015: An appraisal. Advancement in Social Sciences Research Journal 9 (9) 286-301 DOI: htpps://doi.org/10.14738/assj.99.12839
Kara-Yokoubian, M. (2022). New study suggests envy is an adaptation that promotes intrasexaul competition among women in the form of gossip. Psypost. Retreived on June 27 2023 from https://www.psypost.org/2022.06/new-study-suggests-envy-is-an-adaptation-that-promotes intrasexaul-competition-among-women-in-the-form-of-gossip-63317
Kiner, M. (2020). It’s time to break the cycle of Female Rivalry. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved on June 27, 2023 from https://hbr.org/2020/04/its-time-to-break-the-cycle-of-female-rivalry
Marcus, B. (2016). The dark side of female rivalry at workplace and what to do about it. Forbes. Retreived on 27th June 2023 from https://www.forbes.com/sites/bonniemarcus/2016.01.13/the-dark-side-of-female-rivalry-at-workplace-and-what-to-do-about-it/?sh=3ba0b2705255
Matlock, D. (2021). The 5 enemies of growth: Overcoming complacency. Retrieved on 27 June 2023 from https://www.dukematlock.com/overcoming-complacency/
Matsoso, A. F. (2022). Envy, the wall between women. Public Square. Retrieved 28 June 2023 from htpps://publicsquaremag.org/dialogue.tolerance.envy-thewall-between-women/
Nwabunkeonye, U.P (2014). Challenges to women active participation in politics in Nigeria', Sociology and Anthropology, 2(7) 284-90. DOI: https://doi.org/10.13189/sa.2014.020704
Okafor, C. & Ileyemi M. (2023). IWD 2023: Nigeria falling in women’s political participation. Premium Times. Retrieved 26th June 2023 from https://www.premiumtimesng.com/gender/587049-iwd-2023-nigeria-falling-in-womens-political-participation.html
Oluwafemi, A. (2022). NBS: Women occupied only 13.73% of ministerial positions since 1999. The Cable. Retrieved 24th June 2023 from https://www.thecable.ng/nbs-women-occupied-only-13-percent-of-minsterial-positions-since-1999/amp.
Rampton, M. (2015) Four waves of feminism. Pacific University Oregon, vol. 25. Retreived 24th September 2023 from https://www.pacificu.edu/magazine/four-waves-feminism
Reenkola, E. (2022). Envy between women. The Scandinavian Psychoanalytic Review 44(1-2) 59-66. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0162301.2022.2137312
Robert A. (2009) Affirmative Action. The Standard Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Summer
Richardson, M (1987). Ed. Maria W. Stewart: America's First Black Woman Political Writer; Essays and Speeches. Indiana University Press
Rivers, C. & Barnett, C. R. (2018). Woman-on-Woman competitiveness in politics. Women’s eNews. Retrieved on June 28, 2023 from https://womenenuews.org/2018/10/ Woman-on-Woman-competitiveness-in-politics
Sanz, E. (March 16 2023). How complacency can prevent you from going forward. Exploring Your Mind. Retrieved on 27 June 2023 from https://exploringyourmind.com/complacency-can-prevent-you-from-moving-forward/ /
Soetan, R. O. (2014). 'Economics of Inequality: Globalization, Gender and Development in Nigeria', being the 264th Innaugural Lectures Series held at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Nigeria.
Thiam, A. (1986). Black Sisters, Speak out: Feminism and Oppression in Black Africa. Dover N. H. Pluto Press.
Uwa, O, John, A, Daudu, B & Oyindamola, O. (2018). Political participation and gender inequality in Nigerian fourth republic. Global Journal of Political Science and Administration 6(5) 22-38.
Watkins, J. (2023). List of Female Africa Presidents- Updated July 2021. Africa Faith and Justice Network. Retrieved 24th June 2023 from https://afjn.org/list-of-female-africa-presidents-updated-july-2021/
Zembere, M. (2020), Electoral Illiteracy and Democratic Citizenship in Zimbabwe. UJAH: Unizik Journal of Arts and Humanities, 21 (1) 54-70. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/ujah.v21i1.3
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Stephen Andrew, Jacob Eneji Ashibi, Emmanuel Atu, Uma Ukpai

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.