Exposure to Parental Violence and Self-Reported Sexual Violence among Unpartnered Adolescent Girls in Nigeria: Evidence from a National Survey

Abstract

Objectives Despite the high prevalence of sexual violence among young and adolescent women in Nigeria, there is a paucity of studies on the extent of sexual violence among adolescent girls, especially unpartnered girls, and the role of parental violence. This study assesses the prevalence of self-reported sexual violence and the influence of exposure to parental violence among unpartnered adolescent girls (aged 15–19) in Nigeria. Methods The women’s data (n = 5,145) from the 2013 and 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Surveys were pooled and analyzed with descriptive analysis and multinomial logistic regressions. Results Of all adolescent girls, 5.65% had ever experienced sexual violence, 94.09% said they never did, and 0.26% did not respond. Adolescent Girls exposed to parental violence were more likely to have ever experienced sexual violence than the unexposed girls (aRRR= 1.90; 95% CI: 1.29–2.79). Conclusion Interventions to prevent sexual violence among adolescent girls should sensitize parents on the potential negative implications of parental violence for their daughters’ wellbeing.