PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG MARRIED ADOLESCENT GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN IN PASTORALIST COMMUNITY OF DASSENECH WOREDA SOUTHERN, ETHIOPIA, COMMUNITY BASED CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Introduction: -Violence against women is a main public health problem that affects the physical, sexual, mental and social wellbeing of more than 30% of all women worldwide.Objective: -To determine the prevalence of physical and sexual intimate partner violence and associated factors among married adolescent girls and young women aged below 25 years old in pastoralist community of Dassenech woreda. Methods: Community based cross-sectional study design was conducted, in Dassenech woreda among married AGYW from March to April 2022. Multistage sampling technique was employed to select 535 the study participants. The data was collected through pre-tested and standardize WHO multicounty study tools.The data were cleaned, coded and entered in to Epi-Data version 7.2 and transferred to SPSS version 26 statistical software for analysis. Descriptive analysis,mean, frequency and percentage were computed. The Bi-variable logistic regression model was conducted to identify candidate variables at P-value of 0.25 and Multivariable logistics regression analysis done measured using adjusted odds ratio with 95% of CI, finallythe statistical significance was declared at p-value < 0.05. Results: -The prevalence of physical intimate partner violence was 44.1% and sexual intimate partner violence was 39.3% in the last 12 month.Not having formal education, Being married and having parity3-4child werefactors significantly associated with sexual intimate partner violence. Having Parity3-4child, Parity5 & above, conducting Dimi culture,Being housewife, husband alcohol drinking and both husband and wife‘s drinksalcoholwere factors significantly associated with intimate partner physical violence. Conclusion and recommendation:Intimate partner violence is highly prevalent among married adolescent girls and young women in Dassenech Woreda. The prevalence of physical intimate partner violence was 44.1% and sexual intimate partner violence was 39.3%.Not having formal educational, having parity 2-3,having parity 5 & above, alcohol consumption, performing Dimi cultural ceremony, being housewife and being married were significantfactors. Thereforeinterventional measures like IEC to change attitude of cultural leaders, family planning service to ensure birth spacing, educating AGYW on risky health behavior, enhancing school participation.