Occurrence of childhood sexual abuse among undergraduates in Port Harcourt, Rivers State

Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) is a global public health and human rights problem that calls for great concern and attention. This study aimed to assess the occurrence of childhood sexual abuse and patterns of childhood sexual abuse among 400 undergraduates of the University of Port Harcourt. Using a descriptive cross-sectional study design, a semi-structured and self-administered questionnaire was used for this study and administered to 400 students. A multistage sampling method was employed to obtain data from respondents. The data obtained were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22, with a p-value of <0.05 regarded as significant. Associations between categorical variables were tested using the Chi-square test of significance and Fisher’s exact test. Out of the 400 undergraduates, 105 (26.2%) had experienced CSA. A much greater proportion of the students who were sexually abused at childhood were females (67, 63.8%) than males (38, 36.2%). This study confirms the existence of CSA among undergraduates.