Open J Public Health | Volume 5, Issue 1 | Research Article | Open Access

Patterns of Sexual Violence and Associated Risk Factors among Female Undergraduate Students at Addis Ababa University’s College of Health Sciences

Urgaha B¹ , Tefera M^2*, Ayele W³ and Busse H^4,5

¹St. Peter Hospital, Ethiopia ²School of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia ³School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia ⁴School of Human Ecology, University of Wisconsin, USA ⁵School of Nutrition and Food Science Technology, Hawassa University, Ethiopia

^*Correspondance to: Muluwork Tefera 

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Abstract

Background: Globally, an estimated one in three women has been sexually abused and one in five experience rape or attempted rape sometime in their lifetimes. Sexual violence not only affects women’s physical and emotional health but also is a violation of human rights. Despite many individuals, interpersonal, and social consequences of sexual violence, there is limited information about its prevalence and determinants in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study assesses the patterns of sexual violence, assault, abuse, and associated risk factors among female undergraduate students at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia. Methods: Across-sectional study was conducted among 261 female undergraduate students from Addis Ababa University’s College of Health Sciences. Data were collected in February 2016 using self-administered, structured questionnaires. Patterns of violence were analyzed and presented as descriptive statistics. Binary logistic regression was used to assess associations between sexual violence outcomes and factors potentially associated (p<0.05). Results: Sixty percent (60.5%) of women reported experiencing any type of sexual violence during their lifetime, and 23.9% had been raped. Reported physical consequences of sexual violence included abortion, unwanted pregnancy, vaginal discharge, and genital trauma. Conclusion: Sexual violence affects a high proportion of female undergraduate students at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia.

Keywords:

Sexual violence; Reproductive health; Counseling and health services; Policy advocacy

Citation:

Urgaha B, Tefera M, Ayele W, Busse H. Patterns of Sexual Violence and Associated Risk Factors among Female Undergraduate Students at Addis Ababa University’s College of Health Sciences. Open J Public Health. 2023;5(1):1044..