Prevalence Of Rape Research Articles

Prevalence and Psychosocial Consequences of Rape in Jos, North–Central Nigeria

Background : Rape is common throughout the world. It is often under-reported by victims and their families for fear of social stigma and cultural sanctions. Several studies have revealed that majority of rape victims are females, with males being the most perpetrators. Objectives : The study was aimed at determining the prevalence of rape and to examine the psychological and social consequences as well as responses to rape by the victim, the family and society. Methods and Materials : The study was a cross-sectional descriptive study of 284 respondents from 4 communities in Jos, Plateau State Capital, Nigeria. A semi-structured socio-demographic questionnaire was used to collect participants’ socio-demographic data while a questionnaire on rape designed by the authors was used to enquire about rape and other associated factors. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) questionnaire was used to determine the psychological consequences of rape. Results : The result revealed a rape prevalence of 31.0% (28.2% in females and 2.8% among males). Rape was statistically associated with young victims (P<0.001). Majority (59.1%) of the victims were raped before 16 years of age. Rape by neighbors/family friends accounted for 50% of all cases involving female victims while that by strangers was 15%. A large proportion (63,6%) of the victims were raped once, 13.6% were raped more than thrice. All female victims were raped through the vagina (81.2% with penis and 18.8% by fingering). The male victims were raped with penis through anal orifice. Only 9.2% were gang raped. About two-thirds of the victims did not report to anyone, but, 36.4% did so. As high as 49.8% of the respondents believed there was no justification for anyone to rape another person just as others cited seductive dressing, substance abuse, and moral decadence as factors that contribute to the offence. Negative psychological and social consequences such as depression, anxiety, post –traumatic stress disorder, social isolation, loss of trust etc were found to be associated with rape. Conclusion : The study showed that rape is a serious problem in our community and therefore urgent measures must be put in place to deal with its increasing prevalence and consequences.

Rape and its Association with Substance Use in Female Students of Hawassa University, Ethiopia

Background: Rape occurs throughout the world and it is a common and serious public health problem affecting millions of women each year. The most common place where rape occurs is school setting and different factors appear to increase women’s vulnerability to rape. The objective of the present study, therefore, was to assess the prevalence of rape and its association with substance use in female university students.Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted using self-administered anonymous questionnaire in female students of Hawassa University, South Ethiopia. A total of 579 female students were included in the study. The prevalence of rape was determined by counting frequency distributions and logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios with 95% confidence interval (95%CI) using SPSS statistical package for windows.Results: The prevalence of attempted rape was 25.5% and 16.9% since joining the university and in the current academic year, respectively. Similarly, the magnitude of completed rape was 20.7% and 16.5% after joining the university and in the current academic year, respectively. Khat chewing (AOR=3.51, 95%CI: 1.76- 6.97), cigarette smoking (AOR=1.68, 95%CI: 1.23-2.67), alcohol drinking (AOR=2.47: 95%CI: 1.36-4.64), having had drinking friends (AOR=2.15, 95%CI: 1.21-3.82) and using other substances including cocaine (AOR=3.77, 95%CI: 1.41-9.87) were associated with rape in the current academic year.Conclusion: The prevalence of rape among female university students was high. There was significant association between rape and substance use by female university students. Interventions that target prevention of rape, reduction of sources of substance supply and behavioral changes towards substance use and its consequences may benefit female students.

Hail Hera, Mother of Monsters! Monstrosity as Emblem of Sexual Sovereignty

Misogyny and the oppression of women are not only manifest in visible symptoms like income disparity and the prevalence of rape; these outcomes are kept alive through the symbolic manipulation of h...

Are there Reasons for Optimism in the Battle against Sexual Assault?

AbstractRape and sexual assault remain major criminological problems in the United States. However, there are a number of reasons for future optimism. American society appears to be gradually evolving in important ways, and changing attitudes reflect more appreciation for human rights, human equality, and support for victims of sexual violence. In addition, advances in technology offer new ways for the justice system to catch and prosecute sex offenders, and the scholars researching these crimes continue to make important strides in critical areas. Furthermore, several data sources suggest that the prevalence of rape and sexual assault has decreased over the past 40 years. As long as Americans continue to demand more progress and more justice, they may have a chance to make that happen.

Blurring the Lines

Through the use of popular culture constructs, individuals are exposed to an overabundance of images that validate rape myths. Although studies have examined rape in popular culture, little attention has been given to the use of rape myths in comic books as a means to reinforce hegemonic masculinity. Using a convenience sample taken from popular comic book series, this content analysis examined the prevalence of rape and the myths used to create such portrayals as well as discuss the negative impact the perpetuation of rape culture has on society. Findings indicate that the reinforcement of rape myths is present within mainstream comic books. Rape myths that were supported included a number of rape survivor, rape perpetrator, and victim blaming myths.

Prevalence of rape and client-initiated gender-based violence among female sex workers: Kampala, Uganda, 2012.

We utilized data from the 2012 Crane Survey in Kampala, Uganda to estimate prevalence of rape among female sex workers (FSWs) and to identify risk factors for and prevalence of client-initiated gender-based violence (GBV) among FSWs. Participants were recruited using respondent-driven sampling. Analyses were weighted using RDSAT-generated individualized weights for each of the five dependent GBV outcomes. Analyses were conducted utilizing SAS 9.3. Among 1,467 FSWs who were interviewed, 82 % (95 % CI: 79-84) experienced client-initiated GBV and 49 % (95 % CI: 47-53) had been raped at least once in their lifetime. GBV risk increased with increasing frequency of client demands for unprotected sex, length of time engaged in sex work, and FSW alcohol consumption. Risk decreased when sex with clients occurred at the FSW's or client's house or a hotel compared to when sex occurred in open spaces. Our findings demonstrate a high prevalence of GBV among FSWs. This research reinforces the urgent need for GBV prevention and response strategies to be integrated into FSW programming and the continuing need for GBV research among key populations.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Clinicians May Be First Responders

Psychiatrists need to be sensitive to the fact that domestic violence can occur in any intimate relationship, regardless of the partners’ sex, and be vigilant about spotting the signs.

Examining the associations between sex trade involvement, rape, and symptomatology of sexual abuse trauma.

The high prevalence of rape and sexual trauma symptomatology among women involved in street-based sex trades is well-established. Because prior research has lacked appropriate, non-sex trade involved comparison groups, it is unknown whether differences exist among similarly situated women who do and do not trade sex. This article explores experiences of childhood and adult rape and symptomatology of sexual abuse trauma among a community-based sample of 322 women who use methamphetamine in San Francisco, California, 61% of whom were involved in the sex trade. Study participants were recruited via respondent-driven sampling and eligible if they were cisgender women, aged 18 or older, current methamphetamine users, and sexually active with at least one cisgender man in the past 6 months. The dependent variable was sexual abuse trauma symptomatology, as measured by the Sexual Abuse Trauma Index (SATI) subscale of the Trauma Symptom Checklist-40 (TSC-40), and the explanatory variable was sex trade involvement. Potential covariates were age, current homelessness, methamphetamine dependence, and experiences of childhood and adult rape. Sixty-one percent of participants had a SATI subscale score suggestive of sexual abuse trauma. The overall prevalence of rape in childhood and adulthood was 52% and 73%, respectively. In bivariate analysis, sex trade involvement and all of the potential covariates except for homelessness and age were associated with a SATI score suggestive of sexual abuse trauma. In multivariate models controlling for significant covariates, there was no longer a statistically significant association between sex trade involvement or childhood rape and an elevated SATI score. Elevated levels of psychological dependence on methamphetamine and experiences of rape as an adult were still associated with a high SATI score. These findings highlight that urban poor women, regardless of sex trade involvement, suffer high levels of rape and related trauma symptomatology.

Law enforcement officers' perception of rape and rape victims: a multimethod study.

In a study to assess law enforcement officers' perceptions of rape and rape victims, researchers asked 149 law enforcement officers to respond to surveys which included a definition of rape measure, an unfounded rape claims measure, and the Rape Myth Acceptance Scale-Revised (RMA-R) measure. Although most officers scored low on the RMA-R--indicating that they did not adhere to myths about rape--most officers also responded with incomplete definitions of rape and inaccurate estimates of the number of false rape claims. Multivariate analyses indicated that officers' open-ended responses did not predict their scores on the RMA-R scale. It is argued that the RMA-R alone does not accurately measure officers' understanding of rape. Officers need ongoing training on the legal elements of the crime, the necessity of sensitivity with victims, and research-based statistics on the prevalence of rape.

Perception, Prevalence and Predictors of Rape among Female Students in a Tertiary Institution South East Nigeria

The essential elements of the rape crime are sexual penetration, force, and the lack of consent. The prevalence of rape worldwide has been reported to be a staggering 20%. In Nigeria, most victims of rape will elect to remain silent about the experience, because of stigmatization leading to under reporting of the crime. This study was aimed at elucidating the perception of rape and determining its prevalence and predictors among female undergraduates in a tertiary institution in South Eastern Nigeria. This was a descriptive cross sectional study in which self administered questionnaires were used to collect relevant data from 280 female undergraduates of UNIZIK Okofia Nnewi Campus, Nigeria, selected by cluster sampling technique. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine associations and identify independent predictors of rape respectively. The level of significance was set at p rape than those counterparts who attended co-educational colleges. Awareness campaigns through peer education, introduction of sexuality education in the school curriculum and establishment of school health programmes are highly recommended.

Assessment of sexual violence among street females in Bahir-Dar town, North West Ethiopia: a mixed method study

BackgroundSexual violence is a major public health concern as well as human rights violation. Homeless women are far more likely to experience violence of all sorts than women in general. The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence and consequence of rape, and explore the reasons and factors associated with rape among street females in Bahir-Dar town, North West Ethiopia.MethodsThis is a mixed method study which included: a survey of 395 street females age 15 – 49; key informant interview with 4 stakeholders; 5 case studies; one focus group of 10 street females and one focus group of 10 street males. Street females are those who spend most of their time on the street and who depend on the street for their life. Qualitative and quantitative data were assessed separately with thematic and statistical analysis respectively. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS version 16.0. Bivariate and Multivariate analysis were determined.ResultsLife time prevalence of rape was 24.3% and the prevalence of rape in the last year was 11.4%. Factors like females “off” the street [OR (95% CI) =6.2 (3.0, 12.9)], being a prostitute [OR (95% CI) = 4.1 (1.5, 11.1)] and age 15–29 [OR (95% CI) =3.5 (1.1, 11.2)] were significantly associated with rape. Most, 93.8% of the rapes were not reported to legal bodies. None of the victims used condom during the rape event. Only, 4 (4.2%) of the victims used emergency contraceptive method following the rape event. Out of the total of 96 victims of rape, 13 (19.1%) and 9 (13.2%) experienced unwanted pregnancy and induced abortion respectively. Beside, 38 (41%) and 15 (22%) victims claimed genital injury and unusual vaginal discharge respectively. Psychological consequence like, hating others by 34 (35.8%), fear and concern for HIV/AIDS by 44 (46.6%), guilt feeling by 28 (29.4%) and loss of interest in sexual activity by 28 (29.4%) of victims were reported. Majority, 42.9% of victims attribute their victimization with sleeping in areas where there are many brothels. Being physically weak, long stay in street life, and sleeping around street males were reasons mentioned for rape by 11.9%, 29.7% and 15.4% of rape victims respectively.ConclusionIn general, there is a very high prevalence of rape exacting significant physical and psychological tolls in victims of the study. Therefore, timely and integrated actions of the various stakeholders working in this area are crucial to curtail this critical human rights violation.

Prevalence of sexual abuse of male high school students in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

BackgroundSexual abuse of boys is a neglected problem in many developing countries including Ethiopia. As a result, its prevalence, contributing factors and circumstance in which sexual abuse occurs are largely unknown. The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and factors associated with sexual abuse of male high school students in Addis Ababa city administration.MethodsA cross-sectional descriptive study involving 884 randomly selected students of nine high schools in Addis Ababa was conducted in March 2009. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect data. Analysis of the data was made using SPSS for windows version 15.ResultsThis study indicates the life time prevalence of rape and sexual harassment of boys in Addis Ababa were 4.3%, and 68.2%, respectively. The chance of experiencing sexual coercion was higher among students who live alone (AOR = 2.87; 95% CI; 1.07, 7.66) and among students who live with others (AOR =1.80; 95% CI = 1.04, 3.11) than those living with both parents. Similarly, the odds of experiencing rape in their life time was higher among students who live with others (AOR=2.20; 95% CI; 1.04, 4.68) than those who live with their parents.ConclusionsSexual abuse of male students is not uncommon in Addis Ababa. It is higher in those living alone or not living with their parents. Due attention is needed by schools, parents and other concerned bodies. Designing a program to fight against sexual abuse should include young school boys.

Perpetration of Violence, Violent Victimization, and Severe Mental Illness: Balancing Public Health Concerns

Perpetration of Violence, Violent Victimization, and Severe Mental Illness: Balancing Public Health Concerns

Lifetime and Current Sexual Assault and Harassment Victimization Rates of Active-Duty United States Air Force Women

From a stratified random sample, 2,018 active-duty United States Air Force women completed a telephone survey dealing with sexual assault and harassment. The lifetime prevalence of rape among Air Force women (28%) was more than twice as high as the prevalence in a national sample (13%). Nearly half of the military sample had been the victims of rape, molestation, or attempted sexual assault. The majority of both initial rapes (75%) and most recent rapes (56%) involved assault by civilians when the victims were civilians. Family members perpetrated 29% of initial rapes and 33% of most recent rapes. Regarding military status of the perpetrator, 14% of first-time victims were raped by a military member, 26% of multiple-time victims were raped by a military member, 31.8% of military women were sexually harassed by a military supervisor or boss, and 26.7% of military women were sexually harassed by a military coworker.

The English Traditional Ballad: Theory, Method, and Practice, and: Folk Song: Tradition, Revival, and Re-Creation (review)

Reviewed by: The English Traditional Ballad: Theory, Method, and Practice, and: Folk Song: Tradition, Revival, and Re-Creation Gerald Porter The English Traditional Ballad: Theory, Method, and Practice. By David Atkinson. (Aldershot, England, and Burlington, Vt.: Ashgate, 2002. Pp. xiv + 310, bibliography, discography, index of ballads and songs, general index.) Folk Song: Tradition, Revival, and Re-Creation. Edited by Ian Russell and David Atkinson. (Aberdeen, Scotland: Elphinstone Institute, University of Aberdeen, 2004. Pp. 555, works cited, general and song indices.) David Atkinson is an English scholar who has been publishing articles on Child ballads from searching new perspectives for many years. His work reflects his involvement with the English Traditional Song Forum in increasing the awareness and availability of the great song collections. He is currently involved in work to catalogue and eventually publish the vast James Madison Carpenter collection. In The English Traditional Ballad, he wisely avoids attempting new definitions of any of the elements of his [End Page 248] title, which he deliberately makes a widely inclusive one. His central proposition is that study of the full extension of collections of English folk song, many only recently made public, has made it possible to speak of an "English tradition" of narrative song in every sense as diverse and complex as the better-known traditions of, for example, the northeast of Scotland, Newfoundland, and the Appalachians. This tradition is characterized by its singing style, "dry and understated, reflective, undramatic, but nonetheless direct, sparing in its use of decoration or ornamentation" (p. 236). Though not including musical examples, he gives circumstantial descriptions of the singing and cultural milieu of singers such as Harry Cox and Walter Pardon of Norfolk and Cyril Poacher of Suffolk. It is an eclectic tradition: although many Child ballads are discussed, Atkinson's attitude to them is practical rather than reverential, and he treats them, as he must, as part of a continuum that reaches into the popular song, the parody, and, of course, print culture. He emphasizes, for example, the importance of broadsides, which may exhibit the same structural features and variations as versions collected from singers. Atkinson's main interpretive tools are reception theory and intertextuality, particularly in the form of John Miles Foley's concept of traditional referentiality (Immanent Art, Indiana University Press, 1991). This is seen, for example, in the way boundaries are collapsed between song types, so that "The Wife of Usher's Well" has overtones of the romantic night visit and "Sir Hugh," a song of ritual murder, has many of the signifiers of the love ballad. This has important implications for the comic ballad. Atkinson challenges both Child's and M. J. C. Hodgart's assumption that comic narrative songs have little to do with the traditional ballad: on the contrary, "they are linked into a ballad world that pits men, and especially women, against the opposite sex, against seducers and suitors, and against supernatural visitors" (pp. 80–81). In particular, they pit mortals against the Devil, a figure who gets almost as many references in Atkinson's book as Child himself. He shows how those comic ballads that feature the Devil do not, like medieval popular drama, invariably subordinate the humor to Christian theology but rather participate in the construction of social "normality." One aspect of the English ballad to which Atkinson repeatedly returns is its preoccupation with the liminal. In a discussion of "The Broomfield Hill" and "The Outlandish Knight," he emphasizes that the greenwood functions, not to facilitate transgression (the usual role of the wilderness), but actually to enforce society's double standard. Liminality is also found in courtship where riddling takes place, because "the presence of the supernatural shadows sexual negotiations, and . . . the electricity of sex is present even in encounters with the supernatural" (p. 60). By considering songs in context, Atkinson often challenges the assumption that the narrative ballad is disengaged or removed from historical conditions. In considering the prevalence of rape, incest, and the double standard in traditional song, he shows how the cultural function of such songs is more significant than either their internal logic or their place in a singer's repertoire. Informed by recent critical discussion, these chapters are an...

Gender Differences in Experience of Sexual Coercion, HIV Risky Sexual Practices, and Knowledge of Aids among Fresh Undergraduates at a Nigerian University

The study examined gender differences in knowledge about HIVIAIDS, sexual violation, and risk)’ sexual practices among new undergraduates of the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. One hundred and eighty sexually-active fresh undergraduates, who attended a routine orientation program for new entrants participated. They were assessed using a 93-item questionnaire on sexual violation: rape or child sexual abuse (CSA), past and recent sexual practices, and knowledge of HIV/AIDS. Results showed that 65.5% of males and 34.5% of females were sexually active. The lifetime prevalence of rape and CSA was 18.9% and 10%, respectively. In addition, female students were significantly more likely to have had history of rape and CSA with a non-family member than male students. In addition, CSA was more likely to have been perpetrated by a family member in male students. While males were more likely not to have used a condom at the last sex, females were significantly more likely to have exchanged sex for drugs and a place to stay. Male students reported significantly better HIV knowledge relating to precautionary measures (e.g., condom use) than females. The results suggest that although many new students were sexually naïve, substantial proportions. who were sexually active engaged in unsafe sex, The potential role of CSA in risky sexual practices among females, in particular; should be noted. It is suggested that sex education should be a critical component of an orientation program for new university students.

Advocacy for Legal Reform for Safe Abortion

In Ethiopia, violation of women's reproductive rights is both a cause and a manifestation of women's disempowerment. Obstacles to full realisation of Ethiopian women's reproductive health and rights include the persistence of harmful traditional practices such as female genital mutilation, early marriage and abduction, as well as the disturbing prevalence of rape and HIV/AIDS. Unsafe abortion represents a particularly serious threat to women's health and lives. Ethiopia's status as a signatory to the Convention to Eliminate all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and its constitutional guarantee of women's equality demand more aggressive action to eradicate such practices and inequities. After years of lobbying by women's organisations, parliamentarians are now reviewing a draft of the 1957 penal code, which includes numerous provisions addressing some of these practices and other conditions that underlie women's poor social and health status.

Race-Specific Gender Equality and Rape: A Further Test of Feminist Hypotheses

Feminists have long argued that structural inequality between men and women influences the prevalence of rape. The patriarchal maintenance hypothesis predicts that gender inequality increases rape, while gender equality ameliorates rape (Whaley and Messner 2002). Alternatively, the backlash hypothesis predicts that gender equality exacerbates the rape problem (Russell 1975; Williams and Holmes 1981). To date, no study has explored this relationship with respect to race. In the present study, we use a cross-sectional design with racially disaggregated census and crime data in order to assess the differences among White and Black women in terms of their status along educational, employment, income, and occupational dimensions, and their risk of victimization. The findings indicate that the relationship between equality and rape is masked in the model that includes all women, but becomes apparent in the race specific models.

Sexual Violence among Female Street Adolescents in Addis Ababa, April 2000

Background: Violence against women is an important public health problem not only because of the physical injury that may result but also because of potentially harmful health behaviors that may be triggered in response to violence. The health consequence on women due to gender-based violence is a serious problem worldwide, which has devoid of women from participating in socio-economic development. The severity of the problem and scarcity of studies in this area prompted the undertaking of this study. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the magnitude and consequences of rape, (included attempted rape), to describe life skills of escaping the attempt, to assess the attitudes of male street adolescents towards rape and factors associated with sexual violence among female street adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 654 female street adolescents. Additionally, four focus group discussions (FGD) among male street adolescents were undertaken to assess attitudes of male street adolescents towards rape in Addis Ababa from April-July 2000. The data were analyzed using EPI6 and SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). Results: The quantitative study revealed that the prevalence of rape among female street adolescents in the last 3 months was 15.6%, attempted rape 20.4% and unwelcome kiss 16.4%. The most popular way of escaping the attempt was yelling. Rape was significantly associated with living alone (OR=8.5, 95% CI=2.0,36.5). Unwanted pregnancy, abortion, STDs, and psychological, problems were reported as consequences of rape. This study has showed that girls in the street are at a high risk of rape, therefore serious attention must be paid in order to control this problem. [Ethiop.J.Health Dev. 2002;16(2):119-128]

The Epidemiology of Physical Attack and Rape Among Crack-Using Women

This prospective study examines the epidemiology of physical attack and rape among a sample of 171 not-in-treatment, crack-cocaine using women. Since initiating crack use, 62% of the women reported suffering a physical attack. The annual rate of victimization by physical attack was 45%. Overall, more than half of the victims sought medical care subsequent to an attack. The prevalence of rape since crack use was initiated was 32%, and the annual rate was 11%. Among those women having been raped since they initiated crack use, 83% reported they were high on crack when the crime occurred as were an estimated 57% of the perpetrators. Logistic regression analyses showed that duration of crack use, arrest for prostitution, and some college education were predictors of having experienced a physical attack. Duration of crack use and a history of prostitution were predictors of suffering a rape. Drug abuse treatment programs must be sensitive to high levels of violence victimization experienced by crack-cocaine using women. Screening women for victimization, and treating the problems that emanate from it, may help make drug abuse treatment more effective.