Why you shouldn’t isolate your spouse

IN our society, based on cultural and religious beliefs, a man has the right to tell his wife not to associate with some people or go to some places. Indeed, a man mandating his wife not to relate with specific neigbours or family members is a common occurrence. And such men usually have reasons for their actions, whether such reasons are logical or in the overall interest of the family is another matter entirely.

However, some have taken such instructions to the extreme; isolating their wives from friends and family to the extent that such women dare not relate with anyone and causing psychological trauma for such women. In such extreme cases, the victims must not greet other women or have relationships with them to the extent of being invited to functions, they must not have friends or visit family members and are even not allowed to receive guests.

This kind of extreme isolation is indeed a criminal offence. And it has been identified as such under the Violence Against Women Law.

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Anyone found guilty of committing any offence related to this may find himself on a compulsory vacation at the nearest prison within his jurisdiction.

According to Section 16 of the Oyo State Violence Against Women Law 2016, forced isolation or separation from family is an offence.

Section 16 (1) specifically states that any person who forcefully isolates or separate a woman from her family is guilty of an offence and upon conviction, is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or a fine of N30,000 or both, as the court may deem fit.

And if for whatever reason, there is attempt to force isolation or separation, it is also an offence. The meaning of this is that even when you do not succeed in isolating or separating a woman forcefully from her family, the fact that you made the attempt means you are culpable of a crime and has committed a criminal offence.  Any person that is found to have attempted to commit the offence of forcefully isolating or separating a woman from her family is guilty of an offence which attracts three months imprisonment or N20, 000 fine or even both, if convicted by a competent court of law.

Those that help people to lock up their wives or serve as monitoring agents to ensure the women do not freely associate as the law permits under the fundamental rights of association will also be liable for helping to commit a crime; the punishment of helping to commit the crime as provided by Section 16 (2) of the Oyo State Violence Against Women Law 2016 is a jail term or fine.

The sub-section states that any person that incites, aid or counsels another person to commit the offence of forceful isolation is guilty of an offence and is liable to three months imprisonment, N20, 000 or both.

And for those that support a person that commits such crime that borders on forceful isolation, they have committed an offence termed as accessory after the fact of forced isolation or separation. Section 16 (4) says any person who receives or assists another person who to his knowledge has committed any offence in relation to forced isolation is an accessory after the fact and is liable to three months imprisonment, N20,000 or both if convicted.

Any man that is not looking for unpaid vacation to the prison yard, should draw the line in exercising his right over a submissive wife and flouting the law by trampling on her fundamental rights to freedom of association.