Self-reported experiences of sexual violence among high school learners in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Nthabiseng Dlamini
Myra Taylor, University of KwaZulu-Natal
Khumbilani Hlongwana, University of Kwa-Zulu Natal

Sexual violence is a global problem that affects societies worldwide. Almost a third of men and more than half of all women have experienced sexual violence. Hence, we investigated the manifestation of this phenomenon at a younger age. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 584 learners (grade 10) from rural and urban Districts completed a self-administered questionnaire on their experiences of sexual violence. The I-Change Behavioural Model underpinned the study, and unadjusted logistic regression for forced sex, with P<0.05, Odds Ratios and 95% CI to determine statistical significance. Results: Slightly more boys (n=293, mean age 16.81 years, SD 1.72) than girls (n=290, mean age 16.00 years, SD 1.37) participated; one learner did not indicate their sexual orientation. More boys (n=58, 20.8%) than girls (n=43, 15.6%) reported experiencing forced oral sex (P<0.005), so was vaginal sex, which was reported by 12.1% (n=34) and 6.9% (n=19) of boys and girls (P=0.028), respectively. Learners with sexual experience were 9.32 times (95% CI 4.88 – 17.79, P<0.005) more likely to have been forced to have vaginal sex, with forced vaginal sex positively associated with poverty(P=0.015). Conclusion: In this study, the age and gender of forced sex perpetrators were not investigated, but these are important for tailored interventions.

Keywords: Children, Adolescents, and Youth, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Gender Dynamics

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