Sexual abuse and accepting attitudes towards intimate partner rape in Uganda

Year 2018, Volume: 5 Issue: 5, 211 - 219, 30.05.2018

Brendah Nakyazze Karin Österman , Kaj Björkqvist

https://doi.org/10.17546/msd.422907

Abstract

Objective:
 The aim was to
study sexual abuse, accepting attitudes towards intimate partner rape and psychological
concomitants in intimate 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 victimisation from
aggression due to denial of sex, victimisation from sexual 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. Victimisation from sexual abuse as
well as psychological concomitants of intimate partner rape were significantly
higher among respondents who had completed only primary school compared to
those with a higher education. Accepting attitudes towards rape in intimate
relationships were positively correlated with age, no sex differences were found.
Respondents with higher educational levels reported significantly lower levels
of acceptance of intimate partner rape. For females, but not for males,
accepting attitudes correlated positively with both victimisation and psychological
concomitants.

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

Keywords

sexual abuse, intimate partner rape, psychological concomitants, Uganda

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