Experience of Non-consensual Sex among Students in a Tertiary Institution in Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Non-consensual sex (NCS) is a major problem that disproportionately affects young persons. Studies on NCS in Nigeria have focused on secondary schools students with limited attention paid to students in tertiary institutions. This study therefore explored experiences of NCS among students of a polytechnic in Ibadan, Nigeria. A total of 594 randomly selected students completed - questionnaires which explored experience of NCS and help-seeking behaviour.The mean age of the respondents was 22.7 ± 2.9 years and 58.9% were females. Fifty-six percent of respondents had experienced sexual intercourse; of this number 9.0% reported that their first sexual intercourse was due to rape. Forty-seven percent of the entire sample had ever experienced at least a form of NCS out of which 70.5% were affected during the six months preceding the study. Forms of NCS experienced included unwanted touch of breast or back side (26.4%), attempted rape (14.0%) and rape (5.7%). Rape victims consisted of 5.3% of males and 6.0% of females. Predictors of the experience of NCS were alcohol consumption (Odd Ratio [OR] =1.7, CI =1.17– 2.52), being a female (OR =1.9, CI =1.34 – 2.72) and having a friend of the opposite sex (OR =2.4, CI =1.04–5.52, p =0.04). Well known friends of the victims were the major perpetrators of all forms of NCS. Most (86.6%) of those who reported experience of NCS did not seek redress or medical care. Non-consensual sex remains a major problem among students of tertiary institution. This underscores the need to develop intervention programmes such as health education and sexual harassment prevention policy to reduce young people’s vulnerability to NCS in tertiary institutions.