Sexual Harassment against Women with Visual Impairment in Addis Ababa: Types, Extent and Consequences
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Date
2017-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The primary objective of this study was to uncover the type, magnitude and consequences of
sexual harassment among women with visual impairment in Addis Ababa. To this effect, a
random sample of 72 women with visual impairment and a purposive sample of eight key
informants provided quantitative and qualitative data through questionnaire and in-depth
interview respectively. The results showed that whereas 84.7% of the women with visual
impairment were of the view that blind women are vulnerable to sexual harassment, 68.1% of
the women confirmed that they themselves were sexually harassed, suggesting how large the
magnitude of the problem is. Regarding the causes, results indicated that Perpetrator tried to
take advantage of blindness (46.9%), trust in perpetrator (34.5%) and dependence in
perpetrator (16.3%) were found to be the leading causes for sexual harassment women with
visual impairment. The results further indicated that the major consequences of the act were
quickly angry (77.6%), sleeplessness or irregular sleep patterns (77.6%), suicide attempt
(67.3%). The most frequently perpetrators were relatives (29%), neighbor (26%) and
strangers (19.3%). Organization and associations such as family service and counseling
centers, community legal service could be providing much needed support and services to
individuals who experience sexual harassment, especially if person are reluctant or afraid to
report incident, or uncertain and confused about what to do.
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Keywords
Sexual Harassment against Women with Visual