Gender-Based Violence Perpetration by Male High School Students in Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

Gender-based violence (GBV) perpetration is a global public health problem due to its detrimental effect on health and education. This study aims to determine the prevalence of gender-based violence perpetration by male students in eastern Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in eastern Ethiopia in December 2018. A total of 1064 male students were involved in the study. Data were collected using an adaptation of the WHO Multi-Country Study self-administered questionnaire on the Women Health and Life Event. Descriptive statistics were calculated using STATA version 14. The prevalence of gender-based violence committed by a male in the last 12 months was 55.83% (95% CI: 52.84–58.82%). The prevalence of emotional abuse against an intimate or non-partner was 45.86% (95% CI: 42.87–48.86%), physical abuse was 45.77% (95% CI: 42.77–48.77%), and sexual abuse was 31.11% (95% CI: 28.32–33.90%). The perpetration of multiple types of gender-based violence (emotional, physical, and sexual) was 47.15% (95% CI: 43.15–51.25%), with 17.72% (95% CI: 14.75–21.03%) reporting emotionally and physically violent acts, 14.21% (95% CI: 11.51–17.27%) reporting emotionally violent acts only, and 12.88% (95% CI: 10.29–15.82%) reporting physically violent acts only. There were statistically significant differences between the age of participants who committed acts of all forms of GBV in the “ever” timeframe and the past 12 months (p < 0.001). Effective prevention and intervention strategies should be developed at the school level to reduce gender-based violence perpetration.

Intimate partner violence among reproductive-age women in central Gondar zone, Northwest, Ethiopia: a population-based study

“…Being married, increased number of children, having household food insecurity, presence of stressful life events, depressive symptoms increase the chance of intimate partner violence. Our finding is similar with studies conducted in arbaminch Ethiopia 50% [ 34 ], eastern Ethiopia 45.7% [ 35 ], in Jimma (45%) [ 36 ]. On the contrary, this study is higher than the study conducted in Ethiopia EDHS 30% [ 37 ], urban Ethiopia 32% [ 38 ], married women in Ethiopia 22.4% [ 39 ], systematic review in Ethiopia 44% [ 40 ], Uganda36.6% [ 41 ].…”

Gender System Justification, Gender Differences and Attitudes Towards Women’ Victimization

“…Psychological/emotional aggression involves the act of intimidating, controlling, remaining silent, insulting or humiliating a woman in order to weaken her psychologically. Sexual assault reveals the use of force or intimidation to coerce a woman into having sex without her consent [2,7,19]. The prevalence rates of gender-related victimization are high across continents and countries [14,19].…”

“…Violence against women is widely seen as a family affair, which in certain circumstances affects large numbers of children and adults throughout their lifetimes. The values defended in this country make women particularly vulnerable to physical problems and sexual assault [2,7]. They are victimized physically, psychologically and sexually in contexts as diverse as academia, workplace and family [38].…”

Multi-Dimensional Impact of Cyber Gender-Based Violence: Examining Physical, Mental, Social, Cultural, and Economic Consequences

“…School-going young women are often involved in unwanted violence caused by male perpetrators. These cultural practices imply unequal gender roles that expose women to gender-based violence (29)(30)(31).…”