Sexual abuse and accepting attitudes towards intimate partner rape in Uganda

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Abstract

Objective: The aim was to study sexual abuse, accepting attitudes towards intimate partner rape and psychological concomitants inintimate partner relationships in Uganda. 

Method: A questionnaire was completed by 315 respondents (174 females and 141 males). The mean age for females was 31.7 years(SD = 10.3) and 33.6 (SD = 12.4) for males. 

Results: Females scored significantly higher than males on victimization from aggression due to denial of sex, victimization fromsexual abuse, and psychological concomitants of intimate partner rape. The acceptance rate for rape in intimate relationships was high,only one percent among females and two percent among males reported zero tolerance. Victimization from sexual abuse as well aspsychological concomitants of intimate partner rape were significantly higher among respondents who had completed only primaryschool compared to those with a higher education. Accepting attitudes towards rape in intimate relationships were positivelycorrelated with age, no sex differences were found. Respondents with higher educational levels reported significantly lower levels ofacceptance of intimate partner rape. For females, but not for males, accepting attitudes correlated positively with both victimizationand psychological concomitants. 

Conclusions: Victimization from sexual abuse, psychological concomitants and accepting attitudes towards intimate partner rapewere all related to low educational level. Reasons for the high levels of accepting attitudes towards intimate partner rape especiallyamong female victims are discussed.

Original languageUndefined/Unknown
Pages (from-to)211–219
JournalMedical Science and Discovery
Volume5
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2018
MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

Keywords

  • Uganda
  • psychological concomitants
  • sexual abuse
  • intimate partner rape

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