Mental Health and Negative Sexual Experiences of Bahamian University Students

Legal Rape in The Bahamas

“…Similarly, Meel & Kwizera (2011) found that women who experience marital rape are at an increased risk of experiencing mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse use. Such findings are in broad agreement with studies across cultures (e.g., Agarwal et al, 2022) and in The Bahamas, including a study on mental health and sexual abuse in The Bahamas (Williams et al, 2021) and of sexual abuse and physiological abuse (Fielding et al, 2023). Domestic violence and associated problems have been linked to suicide (Beleche, 2019).…”

In The Bahamas “She must give it up”: Sexual Abuse of Women in Heterosexual Relationships by their Intimate Partners

“…The enduring trauma suffered by females subject to rape in The Bahamas has been demonstrated by Williams et al (2021) and is consistent with studies from elsewhere, for example, South Africa, Oshodi et al (2020). Thus, rape is a crime which, in a sense, never leaves the victim (Indupalli & Giri, 2014).…”

“…Some of these levers of control are clearly physical, while others are more subtle but still inflict harm. Williams et al (2021) demonstrated the longlasting trauma which sexual violence can cause women. They also found that 81.7% of women who had suffered sexual abuse thought that the event(s) had negatively affectively their mental health, but only 5.6% had sought help for their mental problems.…”

“…Prior to the 2000s, sweethearting or adultery was found to be equally common in married men than women (12%), but husbands were more likely than wives to have a history of sweethearting, (48% vs 22%; Grant, 1999), the lack of exclusivity, particularly within marriage, may cause tensions in marital relationships (Otterbein, 1963) and so result in psychological abuse, and silent suffering (Atapour et al, 2021). In the Bahamian context where rape myths are prevalent (Williams et al 2021) and married men protected by the law from having sex with their wives without their consent, some feel that their wife cannot refuse her husband (Wallace, 2018). These situations can therefore prove to be even more psychologically distressing because if she does submit to sexual intercourse she may be doing so without voluntary consent.…”

Sexual and Psychological Abuse of Men in Heterosexual Relationships in The Bahamas

“…Sexual abuse is not only associated with physical harm or confined to any geographical location (Agarwal et al, 2022). Williams et al (2021) demonstrated the trauma which is associated with even one experience of rape in the lives of Bahamian women. While the mental and psychological harm associated has been demonstrated in the literature, and is acknowledged in The Bahamas (Bahamas Crisis Centre, n.d.), this study allows us to appreciate the psychological abuse which women can inflict upon men.…”