Al-Hikmah University Journal

Assertive behaviour is the ability to express one's thoughts, feelings, and needs in a clear,

direct, and respectful manner. It is a key component of healthy relationships, as it allows individuals

to communicate their needs and boundaries without being aggressive or passive. However, when

assertive behaviour is lacking, it could contribute to domestic violence. This is because individuals

who are unable to assert themselves may be more likely to tolerate abusive behaviour from their

partners. They may also be less likely to leave abusive relationships, as they may fear retaliation or

believe that they deserve the abuse. However, there is a paucity of empirical research on assertive

behaviour and domestic violence among public secondary school teachers in Kwara State. The

objectives of the study are to examine the level of assertive behaviour among public secondary school

teachers; establish the causes of domestic violence and investigate the relationship between the two

variables. The study population includes 8172 public secondary school teachers in the state, from

which a sample of 401 respondents was selected. The adopted questionnaires on the Assertive

Behaviour Scale (ABS) by Ongong (2013) and the Domestic Violence Scale (DVS) by Marcia Bench

(2018) were used to collect data for the study. The analyses were done using descriptive statistics of

percentages and Pearson’s. The results of this study revealed that married teachers suffer domestic

violence as a result of low levels of assertive behaviour among Teachers in Public Secondary Schools

In Kwara State, Nigeria. It also showed that there is a significant relationship between assertive

behaviour and domestic violence among married teachers. Based on these findings, it was

recommended that married couples should be enlightened on the importance of assertive behaviour

in marriage, marriage counsellors should expose couples to causes of domestic violence in marriage,

and there should be periodic enlightenment on how poor assertive behaviour leads to domestic

violence in marriage.