Abstract:

The Cross sectional descriptive research was conducted in Igbo-Ora, Oyo State, Nigeria to find, the prevalence and the risk factors associated with Sexual abuse in schools; the students’ knowledge and experiences about the abuse; and need for the academia to curb it. The population was female secondary school students. 4 (2 Public and 2 private) schools were selected, using simple random sampling. 300 Questionnaires were administered on the sampled 278 students (n= Za2 pq/ d2 sample size estimation).

Simple percentages were used, to analyze the findings. The study found that 166 students (58.5%), 82 (28.9) and 36 (12.7%) had fair, good, poor knowledge of sexual abuse, respectively, based on the fact that: 127 (44.7%) had been sexually abused- 94 (74.0%) had experienced rape, 34 (26.8%) were verbally or physically assaulted. The study also discovered that 41 (32.3%) accused boy friends, 38 (29.9%) fellow students, 23 (18.1%) neighbours, 10 (7.9%) their teachers, 12(29.4%) strangers, 3(2.4%) their family members, as the perpetrators of the vice. Also the study found that 51 (40.2%), of ages 15-19; 48 (37.8%), 10-14, 19 (15.0%) 19 and above, and 9 (7.1%) 5-9, were abused. Consequently, 14 (7.7) suffered shame/ social stigma. 30 (16.4%) suffered depression, 17 (9.3%) had abortion, 22 (12%) had unwanted pregnancies, 9 (4.9%) had low grades at school, 8 (4.4) had sexually transmitted infections and 56 (30.6%) suffered no consequence at all. In conclusion, the high prevalence of 4.74% found in the area is high and the academia should voice out loud and clear to phase out, completely, the incidence of sexual abuse in the society.

Keywords:

Risk factors, sexual abuse, Academia.