Prevalence and Associated Factors of Gender-Based Violence Among Female Students Attending Private Colleges in Harar Town, Eastern Ethiopia

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of gender-based violence (GBV) among second- and third-year female students of private colleges in Harar town, eastern Ethiopia. We conducted an institution-based cross-sectional study among 302 randomly selected second- and third-year female students attending private colleges in Harar town. We used descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence interval and a P value < .05 were used to interpret associations and to declare a significance of association, respectively. A total of 298 (98.7%) participants completed the questionnaire, and the overall prevalence of GBV was 57.7% (n = 172). Specifically, 36.2% of the students experienced physical violence; 46.6%, sexual violence; and 56.4%, emotional/verbal violence. The prevalence of attempted and completed rape was 36.7 and 28.8%, respectively. The following were significant predictors of GBV: age ≤ 19 years (AOR = 3.4; 95% CI, 1.4–5.3), monthly pocket money ≤ 240 Ethiopian Birr (AOR = 3.3; 95% CI, 1.7–5.9), Orthodox religion (AOR = 5.3; 95% CI, 1.9–14.4), Amhara ethnicity (AOR = 2.3; 95% CI, 1.65–4.2), living alone in a rented house (AOR = 3.2, 95% CI, 1.79–6.25), having a partner (husband or boyfriend; AOR = 4.42; 95% CI, 2.4–8.05), having a roommate with a boyfriend (AOR = 4; 95% CI, 2.8–7.6), and studying in the pharmacy department (AOR = 3.0; 95% CI, 1.1–7.6). This study found that a considerable number of female students were survivors of GBV while at college. The college authorities and other stakeholders need to combat GBV with interventions, such as GBV awareness programs, and legal protections.