Risk Factors for Gender-Based Violence among Female Students of Gonder Teacher’ Training College, Gonder, Northwest Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Violence against women is the world's most prevalent, pervasive and enduring problem. Sexual violence appears to be particularly great among adolescent girls of Sub-Saharan African countries, including Ethiopia.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted from January to February 2018, and 322 participants were selected via a stratified sampling technique. Data were entered using Epi-data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 21 for analysis, then bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was employed to see statistically significant factors.

Lifetime prevalence of Gender-based violence was found to be 35.1% (95% CI: 29.9 - 40.3). Risk factors significantly associated with sexual violence were living alone (AOR = 4.3 95% CI: 1.03, 18.09), having two or more number of sexual partner in life (AOR = 11.5 95% CI: 2.80, 47.16), lack of open discussion between parents and daughters about reproductive health issues (AOR= 5.05 95% CI: 1.37, 18.55), being third year student 9.06(1.96, 41.94), strict parenting style over the girls behavior (AOR = 3.4 (1.04,10.72), alcohol consumption (AOR = 8.3 95% CI: 2.57, 27.00), use of khat (AOR = 11.05 95% CI: 3.53, 34.60), and monthly financial support to the girls from family (AOR= 0.1, 95% CI: (0.03, 0.73).

The prevalence of Gender-based violence among female college students in Gonder town was high. Attention should be paid to the reduction of the prevalence and those risk factors of Gender-based violence.