Characterizing the prevalence and contributing factors of sexual violence: A representative cross-sectional study among school-going adolescents in two East African countries

Background: Sexual violence against minors is a global phenomenon with wide-ranging negative consequences. Global reports suggest that it is a particularly serious issue in East African countries, although research on prevalence and characteristics of violence in these countries is scarce. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess sexual violence and its circumstances among Tanzanian and Ugandan adolescents. Participants and setting: Two representative samples of secondary school students aged 12-17 from Tanzania and Uganda (N = 1402) were included in this study. Methods: Data assessed using standardized questionnaires were analyzed to determine prevalence, characteristics, and contributing factors of sexual violence among youth. Results: We found high levels of sexual violence (27.2 %) exceeding global average estimates of under 20 %. Significantly more sexual violence experiences were reported by boys (29.9 %) than girls (24.6 %) and by older compared to younger adolescents (30.2 % vs. 19.6 %). Peers were the most frequent perpetrator group, named by 47.6 % of those reporting abuse. Several potential contributing factors for victimization were identified, such as rural living area, external financial support, and being in a romantic relationship. Conclusions: Sexual violence is a relevant issue among East African adolescents that occurs in a variety of settings but appears to be most prevalent between peers. Comprehensive sexual education approaches may help to improve the protection of adolescents and to enhance autonomous sexual development.