The Invisible Suffering: Sexual Coercion, Interpersonal Violence, and Mental Health - A Cross-Sectional Study among University Students in South-Western Uganda

Abstract

BackgroundDespite a history of conflicts and widespread human rights violation in sub-Saharan Africa, little is known about the prevalence of interpersonal violence among the population in this region. Evidence from high-income countries suggests that exposure to violence has mental health consequences and violence also has associations with experiences of sexual coercion.AimsThis study sought to investigate the prevalence of physical and perceived threats of violence among university students in Uganda and to assess the possible relationship between such violence, sexual coercion, and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and psychoticism, respectively.MethodIn 2005, 980 Ugandan university students responded to a self-administered questionnaire (response rate 80%) that assessed socio-demographic factors, social capital, importance of religion, mental health, experience of violence and sexual coercion, and sexual behaviour factors. Logistic regression analysis was applied as the main analytical tool.ResultsOf those who responded, 28% reported perceived threats/threats of violence and 10% exposure to actual physical violence over the previous 12 months, with no significant gender differences in exposure history. Exposure to violence was significantly associated with the experience of sexual coercion among both males and females. Sexual coercion and threats/threats of violence were both significantly associated with poor mental health in males and females, but only males showed a strong association between exposure to physical violence and poor mental health.ConclusionThe current study suggests that in terms of general exposure, both males and females in the study population are equally exposed to sexual coercion and interpersonal violence, and both male and female students show generally similar mental health effects of exposure to such violence. The prevalence of interpersonal violence found in our study population may have long-term negative health implications. Our findings may serve as a baseline for interventions and continuing research aimed at preventing interpersonal violence.

Giving or Receiving Something for Sex: A Cross-Sectional Study of Transactional Sex among Ugandan University Students

“…A study in the same setting found that when both male and female students were exposed to violence at the university, this exposure was significantly associated with experiences of sexual coercion [25]. Men and women may experience different types of violence, with more sexual violence in the case of girls and women and more physical violence in the case of men.…”

Early sexual debut: Voluntary or coerced? Evidence from longitudinal data in South Africa – the Birth to Twenty Plus study

“…[7][8][9] In severe cases sexual coercion culminates in prostitution and psychological problems (depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and suicidal ideation), and low self-esteem leading to inability to avoid or refuse unwanted sexual advances and/or negotiate safe sexual behaviours. [9,10] Social outcomes include acceptance of violence, especially towards women, adherence to traditional gender roles such as male dominance, poor educational achievement as a result of withdrawal from school, and inability to build adult partnerships with loss of marriage prospects. [9] In many low-and middle-income countries including South Africa (SA), there is evidence that sexual encounters at a young age are frequently coerced.…”

Intimate Partner Violence Victimization and Associated Factors among Male and Female University Students in 22 Countries in Africa, Asia and the Americas

“…Among university students in high income countries, e.g., in Finnland 42.0% reported physical violence 12 in Poland 34.3% of females and 28.4% of males reported sexual aggression victimization 13 and in Spain 15.2% of females reported lifetime genderbased violence victimization 14 . Among university students in low-and middle-income countries, e.g., in Chile 31% of women and 21 % of men reported exposure to sexual violence 15 in China the rates of being the victim of physical assault and sexual coercion were 18.0% and 5.1%, respectively 16 in Nigeria (females) 44.1% reported life-time prevalence of IPV 17 46.7% sexual violence 18 and 22.8% and 22.2% of students experienced physical and sexual violence, respectively 19 in Russia 25.5% were the victims of physical partner violence and 24.1% were sexually coerced in the previous year 20 and in Uganda 10%, with no significant gender differences, had exposure to physical partner violence 9 . Individual-, family-, and contextual-level factors may contribute to IPV 9,21 .…”

“…Among university students in low-and middle-income countries, e.g., in Chile 31% of women and 21 % of men reported exposure to sexual violence 15 in China the rates of being the victim of physical assault and sexual coercion were 18.0% and 5.1%, respectively 16 in Nigeria (females) 44.1% reported life-time prevalence of IPV 17 46.7% sexual violence 18 and 22.8% and 22.2% of students experienced physical and sexual violence, respectively 19 in Russia 25.5% were the victims of physical partner violence and 24.1% were sexually coerced in the previous year 20 and in Uganda 10%, with no significant gender differences, had exposure to physical partner violence 9 . Individual-, family-, and contextual-level factors may contribute to IPV 9,21 . These may be conceptualized as sociodemographic, individual risk factors and protective factors [21][22][23] .…”

“…IPV is increasingly becoming a public health problem among young persons and male and female university students [9][10][11] . Among university students in high income countries, e.g., in Finnland 42.0% reported physical violence 12 in Poland 34.3% of females and 28.4% of males reported sexual aggression victimization 13 and in Spain 15.2% of females reported lifetime genderbased violence victimization 14 .…”