Prevalence, Pattern and Determinants of Sexual Violence among Female Undergraduates at the Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Background: Sexual violence is a global phenomenon which occurs across various regions and countries in the world. Globally, nearly 1 in 3 women (30%) aged 15-49years have experienced at least one form of sexual violence in the course of their life. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, pattern and determinants of sexual violence among female undergraduates at a tertiary institution in Bayelsa State. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study involving 429 female undergraduates at the Niger Delta University, Bayelsa State. A self-administered pretested questionnaire was administered over a 3-month period and the data was analyzed using SPSS version 29. The Chi-square test was used to determine factors associated with sexual violence and a multiple logistic regression analysis was done to identify determinants of sexual violence. Results: The participants were aged 15-29 years (mean age 21.7 ± 3.1 years) and majority (94.6%) were single and of the Christian faith (96.3%). The prevalence of sexual violence was 19.3% with unwanted penetrative sex occurring in 60.2% of cases. Being married, co-habiting with a partner, being from a single parent home, being sponsored in school by a relative and having mothers with a secondary or University education were significant determinants of the experience of sexual violence (p<0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of sexual violence mirrors global figures and highlights the urgent need for the implementation of relevant sexual violence prevention strategies such as providing financial support to female students, enhancing security in schools and educating students on sexual violence.