Prevalence and pattern of sexual assault in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto, Nigeria

Abstract

IntroductionSexual violence is an important public health problem of growing concern all over the world. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence and pattern of sexual assault managed in Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto, Nigeria.MethodsIt was a retrospective study that looked into cases of sexual assault admitted into the hospital between January 2010 and December 2014. Information on patients’ biodata, and relevant details on the cases were extracted from the patients’ case files and analyzed.ResultsOut of the 5317 gynecological admissions during the period under study, 45 (0.84%) were cases of sexual assault. Of these, only 34 case files were available for data extraction. The patients’ ages ranged from 2 to 37 years (mean = 12.6 + 8.3). About two thirds (61.8%) of those affected were young children (aged 12 years and below). In majority of cases (70.6%) the assault was penetrative, and in most of the cases (91.2%) only a single assailant was involved. In close to two thirds of cases, the assailant was either an acquaintance (38.2%) or a family member (20.6%). Although law enforcement agents were informed in majority (58.8%) of cases, arrests were made in less than half (41.2%).ConclusionAlthough the prevalence of sexual assault in this study appears to be low, a major cause for concern is the fact that those affected were predominantly young children. Parents should be more vigilant in monitoring their children’s movement, and stringent laws should be enacted and enforced to curb this heinous act.

The pattern and characteristics of sexual assault perpetrators and survivors managed at a sexual assault referral centre in Lagos

“…Our finding that majority of the survivors were female is in keeping with previous studies which have reported that majority of sexual assault survivors are female. 15 , 24 , 25 Studies carried out in India, 18 Bangladesh 26 and Uganda 27 have also reported low rates of sexual assault in male gender as shown in this study. It is, however, important that as preventive measures are directed towards females, male survivors and males at risk are not neglected.…”

“…This finding is similar to that reported in Sokoto State, Nigeria, that 91.2% of survivors were assaulted by only one perpetrator. 24 Similarly, reports from medico legal clinics in Johannesburg, South Africa, following rape found that majority involved one perpetrator. 14 …”

“…The finding is in keeping with other studies worldwide and Nigeria that have reported minors form a majority of sexual assault survivors. 15 , 24 …”

Prevalence of Sexual Assault in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

“…Anambra State had a reported a prevalence of 0.42 (Ikechebelu et al, 2008). Interestingly, other researchers from Abakaliki in Ebonyi State (South-east, Nigeria) and Zaria in Kaduna State (North-west, Nigeria); were noted to have recorded similar prevalence rates of 0.9%and 0.84%respectively (Chinawa et al, 2013;Mairo, 2016). Similarly, studies conducted in Lagos State and Ile-ifein Osun State both in (South-west, Nigeria) reported prevalence of 0.76% and 0.69% (Badejok, 2014) respectively.…”

“…However, this could also be attributed to the fact that male sexual assault survivors are less likely to report the incident (Chinawa et al, 2013;Stewart & Frussel, 2000;Ashimi, Amole, & Ugwa, 2015). In a research conducted in Suleja, Nigeria, (Mairo et al, 2016) they documented two males (7%) among 29 survivors of child-sexual assault, thus demonstrating the existence of male sexual assault in the country. One reason being adduced as probably being responsible for high vulnerability of children to sexual assault is the evolving trend in our homes due to the need for both parents to be engaged in one form of business or another as a result of ailing economy thereby breeding under parenting with attendant depressed supervision of children.…”