“We are responsible for the violence, and prevention is up to us”: a qualitative study of perceived risk factors for gender-based violence among Ethiopian university students

Abstract

BackgroundThere is a high prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV) victimization among young Ethiopian women, including in universities, where female enrollment is low but growing. Understanding factors contributing to GBV in this context and students’ perspectives on gender, relationships, and interpersonal violence is essential to creating effective interventions to prevent GBV and support female students’ rights and wellbeing.MethodsIn-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) were held with male and female students (male IDI n = 36, female IDI n = 34, male FGD n = 18, female FGD n = 19) and faculty and staff (FGD n = 19) at two Ethiopian universities. Audio recordings were transcribed and translated into English. Transcripts were coded thematically to identify key factors contributing to GBV and provide narratives of students’ experiences.ResultsGBV against female students was a salient issue, including narrative accounts of harassment, intimidation, and physical and sexual violence on the university campuses and the towns in which they are located. Reported risks for GBV included receiving academic support from male peers, exercising agency in relationship decision-making, having a negative self-concept, belief in stereotypical gender expectations, and engaging in transactional sex and/or substance use. While students recognized these risk factors, they also suggested GBV may be the result of females’ “improper” behavior, attire, use of males for personal gain, or personal failure to prevent violence.ConclusionsGBV is a serious issue in these two Ethiopian universities, creating a tenuous learning environment for female students. Programs are needed to address areas of vulnerability and negative attitudes toward female students in order to decrease female victimization.

Perception of Gender-Based Violence and Sexual Harassment in University Students: Analysis of the Information Sources and Risk within a Relationship

“…In fact, the students say that they are very familiar with certain subtler forms of gender-based violence (e.g., situations of jealousy or feelings of possessiveness, control of the partner, sexist remarks, or psychological attack, rather than other, more open or aggressive acts (e.g., preferential treatment or academic favors in return for sexual favors, unwanted kissing and/or touching, physical assaults, or the sending of threatening or intimidating messages or emails). In this sense, other authors indicated that, on occasions, some male students expected some kind of sexual relationship if they provided support or favors to a partner, so these students justify some forms of sexual harassment [10]. These authors add that the participants tried to justify and link cases of gender-based violence within the university, indicating the inappropriate behaviors or clothing of women and the lack of personal prevention measures as possible causes of gender-based violence.…”

“…In the educational environment, it should be introduced at all levels in all year groups and across the curriculum [9], so as to reduce the educational deficiencies concerning gender at the family level. In this sense, recently, several authors detect among the results of their research that gender-based violence is a phenomenon that occurs recurrently among university students [10]. Among the different typologies stands out bullying, violence and physical-sexual harassment as forms of violence; those responsible are different male members of the education community such as teachers and/or peers.…”

“…In this sense it should be remembered that there have been so many centuries of discrimination and abuse [12] that it is not enough to educate in equality at just some educational levels and between a few widely spread activities, but rather that this training should be part of education at all age levels and should be cross-curricular and present in all areas and subjects in order to mitigate the patriarchal education that has been received for so long. In fact, some research has shown that intervention is necessary at the university level and, specifically, in initial courses of university education [10]. In this regard, it is essential to promote the correct self-esteem and self-confidence among university women as a brake on possible sexual coercion.…”

Assessing Related Factors of Intention to Perpetrate Dating Violence among University Students Using the Theory of Planned Behavior

“…Applying the social cognitive theory to TPB, subjective norms can be shaped by environmental/social factors, including family and peers, which had a significant correlation to DV perpetration in the previous studies [62,63]. The inconsistent result may be due to the misconception of DV (e.g., acts of controlling a partner due to jealousy), gender stereotypes [24,26], and lack of education of DV among youth. It is necessary to verify this hypothesis and add other variables (e.g., personality traits, social support) [10,64] to this model to increase explained variance in future research.…”

Perception, Experiences, Risks, and Effects of Sexual Harassment Among Women Working in Hospitality Workplaces of Bahir Dar City, Northwest Ethiopia: A Qualitative Study

“…Therefore, these practices of some women created a perceptual experience that all the women working in hospitality workplaces have the desire. Thus, in line with a study conducted among university students in Ethiopia [53], transactional sex practice is considered as a risk factor for SH in hospitality workplaces. Besides, exposure to transactional sex practice and engaging in commercial sex work in this study were the reported reproductive health effects of SH.…”