Multi-level predictors of young people’s attitudes towards gender biases concerning rape, sexual and domestic violence in intimate relationships among young people, Ebonyi State, Southeast Nigeria

Abstract

This study assessed multi-level factors that shape young people's attitudes towards gender biases about rape, sexual, and domestic violence in intimate relationships. This cross-sectional study was undertaken in three urban and three rural communities in Ebonyi State, southeast Nigeria. Data were collected from 1,020 young people using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were performed using STATA. Findings revealed that most(64%) young people agree that when a girl doesn't physically fight back, you cannot really say it was rape. Many agreed that a girl who is raped is promiscuous or has a bad reputation (50%) and usually did something careless to put herself in that situation(45%). Young girls were approximately 2 times more likely to have positive attitudes towards sexual violence, rape, and domestic violence in intimate relationships than young boys (OR=1.5;P<0.01). Multi-level strategies to effectively address adverse gender norms and inequalities in intimate relationships are highly recommended.