Poverty and Domestic Violence in Buteba Sub-County, Busia District, Eastern Uganda

Abstract The study was about poverty and domestic violence in Buteba sub county Busia District in Eastern Uganda. The Purpose of the Study is to examine the impact of poverty on domestic violence in Buteba Sub County in Eastern Uganda. The research objectives; to find out the causes of poverty among people in Buteba sub County in Eastern Uganda, to find out the impact of poverty on domestic violence and to suggest ways of reducing poverty in the area of Buteba sub County. The study reviewed literature from different scholars based on the study objectives. The literature indicates that indeed poverty is the cause of domestic violence which the literature alludes to. The study was based on a case study and descriptive cross section research design which involved establishing the relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used in this study. The sample of 100 respondents was used and questionnaires and observations have been used as research instruments. The findings on the causes of poverty among people in Buteba sub County in Eastern Uganda revealed that most people with in Buteba sub County are poor due to prevalence of diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, Tb, and Ebola. The findings also revealed out that people within Buteba Sub County are poor because of poor infrastructure set up like poor roads, railways, water systems and these are some of the major drivers of economic development. The findings on the impact of poverty on domestic violence in Buteba Sub County revealed that the poor people are at a greater risk of family problems, including divorce and domestic violence. The findings also show that most of the Poor people are more likely to be homeless and likely to live in dilapidated housing and unable to buy their own homes . Lastly, the Findings on the ways of reducing poverty in the area of Buteba sub County revealed that poverty can be reduced and dealt with in Buteba Sub County through creating employment opportunities, this involves careful and extensive planning of employment programs to be funded by the government can spur growth in jobs. The study recommended that the government and NGOs should come up with the income generating activities (IGA) that members of the society should be engaged in so that they can come out of poverty. Religious institution must start guiding and counselling programs so as to guide and counsel people with psychological problems associated with poverty and domestic violence.