Client-perpetrated gender-based violence among female sex workers in conflict-affected Northern Uganda: a cross-sectional study

Ouma, Simple; Ndejjo, Rawlance; Abbo, Catherine; Tumwesigye, Nazarius Mbona

doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046894

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Our previous works informed the current study among the same population of FSWs (12,37,38). While disseminating our last ndings, FSWs suggested that future studies investigate children's mental health since many of their children might be living in harsh environments.…”

Section: Participant and Public Involvementmentioning

confidence: 72%

Victimization among adolescent children of female sex workers: findings from the Children of At-Risk Parents (CARP) study in Uganda

Ouma

Abbo

Natala

et al. 2022

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Background: Female sex workers (FSWs) live in high-risk environments, experience high levels of adversity and have multigenerational trauma that can negatively affect their children, yet there is only minimal information on victimization among children of FSWs. This study aimed to evaluate the association between maternal sex work and victimization among adolescents in Uganda.Methods: The sample consisted of 294 respondents to the Children of At-Risk Parents (CARP) study, a comparative cross-sectional quantitative study among adolescents in Northern Uganda. We collected data among 147 adolescent children (10-17 years) of FSWs and 147 adolescent children of non-FSWs. We screened for victimization using the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using STATA version 14. Results: The prevalence of lifetime victimization stood at 99.3% but on average, each adolescent experienced 12.4 out of 34 different victimizations. Significantly, the adolescent children of FSWs were exposed to more victimizations than their comparators (13.4 vs 11.5; p<0.01). Specifically, compared with the adolescent children of non-FSWs, more adolescent children of FSWs experienced kidnap (15.8% vs 4.8%; p<0.01), emotional abuse (65.8% vs 50.0%; p<0.05), neglect (37.4% vs 21.1%; p<0.01), physical intimidation (10.2% vs 4.1%; p<0.05), relational aggression (36.4% vs 18.4%; p<0.01), verbal aggression (68.7% vs 46.9%; p<0.001), sexual victimization (31.3% vs 17.7%; p<0.01), verbal sexual harassment (20.4% vs 5.4%: p<0.001), exposure to murder scene (42.9% vs 26.5%; p<0.01), witness to domestic violence (39.5% vs 26.5%; p<0.05), and witness to murder of relatives (31.3% vs 21.1%; p<0.05). Conversely, the adolescent children of non-FSWs reported more caregiver victimization (98.0 vs 92.5; p<0.05) than the adolescent children of FSWs. Conclusions: Disproportionately, children of FSWs are more likely to experience victimization than children of non-FSWs. Therefore, government and development partners must deliberately develop policies and programs targeting victimizations among children of FSWs.

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Section: Participant and Public Involvementmentioning

confidence: 72%

Victimization among adolescent children of female sex workers: findings from the Children of At-Risk Parents (CARP) study in Uganda

Ouma

Abbo

Natala

et al. 2022

Preprint

Self Cite

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“…During the dissemination of findings from our previous research among FSWs in the same region [ 12 , 18 , 45 ], FSWs themselves suggested that future studies should look into the mental health of their children. Likewise, we engaged peers of FSWs in identifying the current research topic, as well as planning and conducting the study.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Victimization among adolescents of female sex workers: findings from the children of at-risk parents (CARP) study in Uganda

et al. 2023

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Background Female sex workers (FSWs) live and work in high-risk environments, experience high levels of adversity, and have multigenerational trauma that can negatively affect their children. Yet not much is known about the prevalence of victimization (i.e., exposure to maltreatment and trauma) among children of FSWs. This study compared the prevalence of lifetime victimization among adolescents of FSWs and adolescents of non-FSWs in Gulu City, Northern Uganda. Methods A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents (10–17 years) enrolled in the Children of At-Risk Parents (CARP) study. This study included 147 adolescents of FSWs and 147 adolescents of non-FSWs selected for comparison in Gulu City, Northern Uganda. The adolescents of FSWs were identified through their mothers using respondent-driven sampling. Data on the residence of FSWs guided a proportionate stratified sampling of adolescents of non-FSWs. Using the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire, we screened for 34 different types of victimization during participants’ lifetimes. Percentage point differences within groups of adolescents and comparison between adolescents of FSWs and non-FSWs were calculated using STATA version 14.1. Statistical significance was set to p < 0.05. Results 99.3% of the participants experienced at least one form of lifetime victimization. The median number of lifetime victimizations was 12.4. Overall, lifetime victimization was higher among adolescents of FSWs than non-FSWs (13.4 vs. 11.5), male vs. female adolescents (13.4 vs. 11.9), and older [14–17 years] vs. younger (10–13 years) adolescents (14.0 vs. 11.7). Further, more adolescents of FSWs experienced lifetime victimization in the following domains and subdomains, all of which were statistically significant: kidnap (15.8% vs. 4.8%), emotional abuse (65.8% vs. 50.0%), emotional neglect (37.4% vs. 21.1%), physical intimidation (10.2% vs. 4.1%), relational aggression (36.4% vs. 18.4%), verbal aggression (68.7% vs. 46.9%), sexual victimization (31.3% vs. 17.7%), verbal sexual harassment (20.4% vs. 5.4%), exposure to murder scene (42.9% vs. 26.5%), witness to domestic violence (39.5% vs. 26.5%), and witness to the murder of relatives (31.3% vs. 21.1%). Conversely, more adolescents of non-FSWs experienced caregiver victimization than the adolescents of FSWs (98.0 vs. 92.5; p < 0.05). Conclusions Childhood victimization is highly prevalent in Northern Uganda and disproportionately affects the adolescents of FSWs. Therefore, government and development partners should urgently develop policies and interventions targeting prevention, early detection, and timely management of victimization in this vulnerable population.

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“…Gender-based violence (GBV) remains one of the gravest challenges to women's health and well-being, it is largely driven by inequity and social injustice (1,2). GBV is any sexual, physical, mental, behavioural, and economic harmful act directed at an individual based on their gender in icted in public or private, in which the female is usually the victim; and which is derived from unequal power relationships between men and women (2,3).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence, types, and determinants of gender-based violence among pregnant women in Northern Uganda: A hospital-based cross-sectional study

Okot,

Anena,

Okema

et al. 2024

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Background Gender-based violence (GBV) against women is a global health issue, affecting one in three women worldwide. Exposure to GBV during pregnancy poses significant health risks to the mother and her foetus, leading to various complications. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, types, and factors associated with GBV among pregnant women in Northern Uganda. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at Gulu Regional Referral Hospital's antenatal care clinic from June to August 2023. Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires in English or Acholi. Participants were selected through systematic random sampling. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, partner attributes, and GBV exposure was collected. Descriptive statistics and modified Poisson regression analyses were performed using STATA 18.0. Associations between variables and GBV were reported as adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR), with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results Among the 339 participants, the mean age (standard deviation) was 26.1(5.5) years. Overall, 73.2% (n = 248) of the participants were exposed to GBV in pregnancy. The most common form of GBV was controlling behaviour by male partners (61.9%, n = 210), followed by emotional violence (34.8%, n = 118), economic violence (29.5%, n = 100), sexual violence (28.9%, n = 98), and physical violence (16.2%, n = 55). Factors associated with GBV included being in a polygynous marriage (aPR: 1.2, 95% CI: 1.03–1.31, p = 0.013), having poor (aPR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.32–1.89, p < 0.0001) or good (aPR: 1.2, 95% CI: 1.03–1.51, p = 0.026) versus perfect relationship with the husband's family, week of amenorrhea (aPR: 1.01, 95% CI: 1.003–1.02, p = 0.006), and maternal age (aPR: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.97–0.99, p = 0.003). Conclusions GBV during pregnancy, particularly controlling behaviour by male partners, is highly prevalent in Northern Uganda. To mitigate the negative impacts on maternal and foetal health, targeted interventions by the Ministry of Health, development partners, and other stakeholders are urgently needed to prevent and manage GBV in pregnancy.

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Client-perpetrated gender-based violence among female sex workers in conflict-affected Northern Uganda: a cross-sectional study

Cited by 7 publications

References 38 publications

Victimization among adolescent children of female sex workers: findings from the Children of At-Risk Parents (CARP) study in Uganda

Victimization among adolescent children of female sex workers: findings from the Children of At-Risk Parents (CARP) study in Uganda

Victimization among adolescents of female sex workers: findings from the children of at-risk parents (CARP) study in Uganda

Prevalence, types, and determinants of gender-based violence among pregnant women in Northern Uganda: A hospital-based cross-sectional study

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