Stance and Engagement in the Discourses on Intimate Partner Domestic Violence in Nigeria

The discourses on intimate partner domestic violence (IPDV) have become ubiquitous across the globe, owing to the prevalence and seriousness of the social menace. Such discourses are often replete with diverse perspectives, not only on IPDV itself but also on the human persons involved in or affected by the scourge. Through pragmatic lens, this study investigates the subjective positions of Nigerian social media users on IPDV in order to appraise general opinion about the menace and the persons involved in or affected by it. Working within the framework of Hyland’s (2005) model of Stance and Engagement, the study examines twenty purposively selected news items on IPDV, including their comment trends taken from three popular social media platforms: Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter) and Instagram. The study reveals the abundant use of affective and evaluative stance, depicting that IPDV is ingrained in most Nigerian cultures, and largely supported by religious and cultural institutions.