Sexual Violence and Associated Factors among Women of Reproductive Age in Rwanda: a 2020 Nationwide Cross-sectional Survey
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Date
2023-06-19
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Archives of public health
Abstract
Sexual violence against women is a global public health issue with both short- and long-term effects
on the physical and mental health of women. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of sexual violence and its
associated factors among women of reproductive age in Rwanda.
We used secondary data from the 2020 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey of 1,700 participants,
who were selected using multistage stratified sampling. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to explore
factors associated with sexual violence using SPSS (version 25).
Of the 1,700 women of reproductive age, 12.4% (95%CI: 11.0–14.1) had experienced sexual violence.
Justified beating (AOR = 1.34, 95%CI: 1.16–1.65), not having health insurance (AOR = 1.46, 95%CI: 1.26–2.40), not
being involved in healthcare decision-making (AOR = 1.64, 95%CI: 1.99–2.70), having a husband/partner with primary
(AOR = 1.70, 95%CI: 5.47–6.21) or no education (AOR = 1.84, 95%CI: 1.21–3.37), as well as having a husband/partner
who sometimes (AOR = 3.37, 95%CI: 1.56–7.30) or often (AOR = 12.87, 95%CI: 5.64–29.38) gets drunk were positively
associated with sexual violence. However, women from male-headed households (AOR = 0.52, 95%CI: 0.29–0.92) were
less likely to experience sexual violence.
There is a need to demystify negative culturally-rooted beliefs favouring sexual violence, such as
justified beating, as well as increase efforts to promote women’s empowerment and healthcare access. Moreover,
engaging men in anti-sexual violence strategies is paramount to addressing male-related issues that expose women
to sexual violence.
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Citation
Nuwabaine, L., Kawuki, J., Amwiine, E., Asiimwe, J. B., Sserwanja, Q., Gatasi, G., ... & Atwijukiire, H. (2023). Sexual violence and associated factors among women of reproductive age in Rwanda: a 2020 nationwide cross-sectional survey. Archives of public health, 81(1), 112.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-023-01109-z