Sexual Violence among female street Adolescents in Addis Ababa
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Date
2000-12
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Addis Abeba Universty
Abstract
A cross-sectional survey among 654 female street adolescents and a qualitative study among 32
male street adolescents were undeltaken to determine the magnitude of rape, attempted rape and
its consequences, to describe life skills of escaping the attempt and to describe attitudes of male
street ado lescents towards rape in Addis Ababa. The quantitative study revealed that the
prevalence of rape among female street adolescents in the last 3 months was 15.6%, (using the
definition ofrape as the penile penetration of the vagina), attempted rape 20.4% and unwelcome
kiss 16.4%. The most popular way of escaping the attempt was yelling, l'luming, negotiating, and
fighting back. Raping a girl in the street as reported by the male focus group study was used as a
means of penalizing a girl for adultery or for refusing a sexual advance. The boys report showed
that the girls are blamed for their victimization, as "being in the wrong place at the wrong time"
and being provocative by talking in a sexual maImer. Rape was significantly associated with
living alone and low self-esteem of girls due to early childhood sexual abuse. Unwanted
pregnancy, abortion, STDs, and psychological, problems were reported to prevail as
consequence of rape. After their victimization 80% of the victims did not report the event to
legal bodies. Awareness of street girls towards contraceptive use and STDs were significantly
associated with increase in age. This study has showed girls in the street are at a higher ri sk of
rape and its consequences. It is recommended that though tackling the root cause i.e., streetism
is a long-term issue, establishing a rape crisis center in health institutions with standard STDs
treatment and cOlll1seling service, wide spread public education, law protection, training of life
skills in protecting girls from rape, night shelter for girls are some of the many to be lIl1dertaken.
Fmther more a longitudinal study on the impacts of childhood sexual abuse is recommended.
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Keywords
Sexual Violence among female