Prevalence and associated factors of childhood sexual abuse in Gashena Town, Ethiopia: A school-based cross-sectional analysis

Child sexual abuse (CSA) involves any form of sexual activity with a child, such as intercourse, inappropriate touching, or exposure to sexually explicit content, perpetrated for the offender's gratification. It is a major public health concern worldwide, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia. Although awareness of CSA's widespread occurrence has increased, there is still limited research on its effects among female primary school students Ethiopia. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence of childhood sexual violence and identify associated factors among female students in Gashena town, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in Gashena town between June 1 and June 30, 2022, with 422 female primary school students participating. The study utilized systematic random sampling for participant selection, and data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. To examine associations between variables, logistic regression was conducted, with odds ratios calculated and statistical significance set at p < 0.05. The overall prevalence of childhood sexual violence among female primary school students was 16.4 % (95 % CI: 12.8-19.8). Religion (AOR: 95 % CI: 2.441 (1.398-4.259)), ethnicity (AOR: 95 % CI: 0.238 (0.121-0.467)), types of caregivers (AOR: 95 % CI: 0.069 (0.029-0.162)), and income of caregiver (AOR: 95 % CI: 3.083 (1.576-6.026)) were factors significantly associated with childhood sexual violence. This study uncovered an alarming increase in the prevalence of childhood sexual violence among female primary school students, highlighting a growing concern within the community. The research identified several key factors linked to this issue, including religion, ethnicity, caregiver type, and income level.