Page 56 - IJPS-10-3

International Journal of
Population Studies Physical sexual violence in Sub-Saharan Africa

below between the year 2003 and 2005. The prevalence Reported information confirmed the existence of
was established to be 24.5% (2003), 30.0% (2004), but workplace sexual violence (Worke et al., 2020), noting
declined to 21.9% in 2005. Among the adult (18 years and evidence from Tigray area (22.0%) with the report
above), cases of rape reported were 71.7% (2003), 65.4% identifying female university staff as the victims (Worke
(2004), and 73.5% (2005). The study summarized that the et al., 2020; 2022). Another study related to Southern
proportion of raped victims aged 11 – 17 years (21.9%) was Ethiopia reported the prevalence of workplace sexual
more than that of children ≤10 years who had been raped violence as 34.3% and considered age, educational status
(Ramabu, 2020). The study also reported that child sexual and night shift (working at night) as crucial correlates,
abuse rate is estimated at 82/500,000 population in 2015, among others (Galu et al., 2020). Another study using 2016
amounting to 0.02% (Ramabu, 2020). Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey data showed
In another cross-sectional study on students’ views that 9.6% of the women aged 15 – 49 years had experienced
and experiences on child sexual abuse in Botswana, sexual violence (Yitbarek et al., 2019a).
out of the 300 randomly selected students from three The increase in IPV that gained momentum during
secondary schools in Gaborone, 53% of the respondents the COVID-19 pandemic period did not spare Ethiopia.
agreed that child sexual abuse exists and 89% agreed During the COVID-19 lockdown, many women and girls
that female students are most affected from this form of were at increased risk of experiencing sexual violence, as
sexual violence (Diraditsile & Rankopo, 2018). The report compared to the pre-COVID-19 era. A study conducted
indicated that a number of the students engage in sexual in the Amhara District of Ethiopia showed that 33% of the
relationships with teachers perhaps for financial gain participants in the study were victims of sexual violence
(93%), favorable treatment (48%), and good grades (41%) during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was higher than
(Diraditsile & Rankopo, 2018). However, an overwhelming before the pandemic (Tesfaw et al., 2021). Another study
majority of the students claimed ignorance of the existence also found that the risk of sexual violence increases when
of the sexual harassment policy in the school (Diraditsile & the woman is unemployed, younger (aged ≤30 years), and
Rankopo, 2018; Mogapaesi, 2019). married under arranged-marriage scheme (Gebrewahd
et al., 2020).
3.2.2. Ethiopia experience
Academic investigation on sexual violence among
Although Ethiopia is not among the nations highly ranked 374 female students in Wolaita Sodo University, Ethiopia,
on the rape statistics (Wisevoter, 2023), there are numerous using self-administered questionnaire highlighted that
literature on the issue of sexual violence in Ethiopia. 23.4% have experienced attempted rape, 8.7% completed
Despite a number of initiatives implemented to curb sexual rape, and 11.3% forced sexual initiation (Tora, 2013).
violence in the country, including the launch of National The study reported that the sexual violence was mainly
Roadmap to End Child Marriage and backlash against experienced in high school and during enrolment year
female genital mutilation or cutting in 2019, there are at the university (Tora, 2013). Identified perpetrators are
many different perspectives about or dimensions to sexual boyfriends, close friends or colleagues, family members,
violence experience in Ethiopia just like other low- and
middle-income in Africa countries. As far as 2001, the and relatives. The list also included school and university
teachers while strangers were also mentioned as the key
recorded prevalence of completed rape and attempted rape perpetrators in the study (Tora, 2013).
against female students (aged 12 – 23) was 5% and 10%,
respectively (Tadiwos, 2001). Approximately, as reported, A study among 339 randomly selected female nurses
85% of the victims were aged ≤18 years (Tadiwos, 2001). in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) revealed that 46.6% have
A study conducted among female students (aged 18 – experienced sexual harassment, 49.3% (167) were involved
26 years) of Wolaita Sodo University in South Ethiopia with physical sexual harassment and 51.2% (79) ever
reported a lifetime sexual violence of 45.4% among experienced verbal sexual harassment (Weldesenbet et al.,
the respondents (Adinew & Hagos, 2017). The study 2022). The menace has 4.64 times more likely to occur
highlighted that on average, 36.1% of female students have in single female nurses compared to married nurses and
ever experienced sexual violence, while 24.4% reported 4.7 times more likely among nurses aged 20 – 25 years.
having the experience in the current academic year in Alcohol consumers were at a 4.5 times higher risk of being
which the study was conducted (Adinew & Hagos, 2017). sexually harassed compared to non-alcohol consumers
The contributing factors to the menace of sexual violence (Weldesenbet et al., 2022). Another study that confirmed
include witnessing interparental violence, rural childhood the prevalence of sexual violence in the country reported
residence, having regular boyfriend, alcohol consumption, that relatively one out of 3 (33.3%) from a total of 367
and having friends who drink regularly. girls interviewed had been raped, 20.4% had experienced

Volume 10 Issue 3 (2024) 50 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.0621