The Association Between Adverse Childhood Events and Rape Myth Acceptance Among Young Adults in Agbogbloshie Ghana

Background Research shows that 27% of women in Ghana have reported experiencing sexual assault. While adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and rape myth acceptance (RMA) have each been independently associated with higher rates of sexual violence, their link remains unexplored. This study investigated the hypothesis that higher cumulative ACEs are associated with higher RMA.Methods Data were from a 2019 cross-sectional survey of 290 randomly selected men and women aged 18-24 in Agbogbloshie, an informal settlement in Accra, Ghana. Information was captured on demographics, ACEs Questionnaire, Illinois RMA Scale, social support (MSPSS: Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support), and social network (LSNS: Lubben Social Network Scale). Bivariate linear regression models were used to identify covariates associated with RMA. Multiple linear regression models examined the independent effect of ACEs on RMA.Results Both genders evidenced that ACEs were associated with RMA in bivariate regression. For men, a greater number of ACEs correlated with greater RMA (p-value = 0.0191) after controlling for confounders. Among women, ACEs were not associated with RMA after controlling for confounders; however, social support was associated with RMA (p-value < 0.0001). Structural equation models suggest that social support acts as a mediator, with higher ACEs linked to reduced social support while social support is positively associated with higher RMA among women.Conclusion These findings suggest that ACEs may be associated with RMA and highlight the need for future research examining the mechanisms linking childhood adversity, social support, and attitudes toward sexual violence.