Estimates and determinants of sexual violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Objectives. We sought to provide data-based estimates of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and describe risk factors for such violence.Methods. We used nationally representative household survey data from 3436 women selected to answer the domestic violence module who took par...

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Main Authors: Peterman, Amber, Palermo, Tia, Bredenkamp, Caryn
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: American Public Health Association 2011
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/154341
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author Peterman, Amber
Palermo, Tia
Bredenkamp, Caryn
author_browse Bredenkamp, Caryn
Palermo, Tia
Peterman, Amber
author_facet Peterman, Amber
Palermo, Tia
Bredenkamp, Caryn
author_sort Peterman, Amber
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Objectives. We sought to provide data-based estimates of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and describe risk factors for such violence.Methods. We used nationally representative household survey data from 3436 women selected to answer the domestic violence module who took part in the 2007 DRC Demographic and Health Survey along with population estimates to estimate levels of sexual violence. We used multivariate logistic regression to analyze correlates of sexual violence.Results. Approximately 1.69 to 1.80 million women reported having been raped in their lifetime (with 407 397–433 785 women reporting having been raped in the preceding 12 months), and approximately 3.07 to 3.37 million women reported experiencing intimate partner sexual violence. Reports of sexual violence were largely independent of individual-level background factors. However, compared with women in Kinshasa, women in Nord-Kivu were significantly more likely to report all types of sexual violence.Conclusions. Not only is sexual violence more generalized than previously thought, but our findings suggest that future policies and programs should focus on abuse within families and eliminate the acceptance of and impunity surrounding sexual violence nationwide while also maintaining and enhancing efforts to stop militias from perpetrating rape.
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spelling CGSpace1543412024-11-14T11:40:56Z Estimates and determinants of sexual violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo Peterman, Amber Palermo, Tia Bredenkamp, Caryn women sexual violence gender Objectives. We sought to provide data-based estimates of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and describe risk factors for such violence.Methods. We used nationally representative household survey data from 3436 women selected to answer the domestic violence module who took part in the 2007 DRC Demographic and Health Survey along with population estimates to estimate levels of sexual violence. We used multivariate logistic regression to analyze correlates of sexual violence.Results. Approximately 1.69 to 1.80 million women reported having been raped in their lifetime (with 407 397–433 785 women reporting having been raped in the preceding 12 months), and approximately 3.07 to 3.37 million women reported experiencing intimate partner sexual violence. Reports of sexual violence were largely independent of individual-level background factors. However, compared with women in Kinshasa, women in Nord-Kivu were significantly more likely to report all types of sexual violence.Conclusions. Not only is sexual violence more generalized than previously thought, but our findings suggest that future policies and programs should focus on abuse within families and eliminate the acceptance of and impunity surrounding sexual violence nationwide while also maintaining and enhancing efforts to stop militias from perpetrating rape. 2011-06 2024-10-01T14:00:58Z 2024-10-01T14:00:58Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/154341 en Limited Access American Public Health Association Peterman, Amber; Palermo, Tia; Bredenkamp, Caryn. 2011. Estimates and determinants of sexual violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo. American Journal of Public Health 101(6): 1060-1067. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2010.300070
spellingShingle women
sexual violence
gender
Peterman, Amber
Palermo, Tia
Bredenkamp, Caryn
Estimates and determinants of sexual violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo
title Estimates and determinants of sexual violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo
title_full Estimates and determinants of sexual violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo
title_fullStr Estimates and determinants of sexual violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo
title_full_unstemmed Estimates and determinants of sexual violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo
title_short Estimates and determinants of sexual violence against women in the Democratic Republic of Congo
title_sort estimates and determinants of sexual violence against women in the democratic republic of congo
topic women
sexual violence
gender
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/154341
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