Gender-based violence in the context of armed conflict in Northern Ethiopia

Desalew Salew Tewabe; Muluken Azage; Gizachew Yismaw Wubetu; Sisay Awoke Fenta; Mulugeta Dile Worke; Amanu Mekonen Asres; Wallelign Alemnew Getnet; Genet Gedamu Kassie; Yonatan Menber; Alemtsehay Mekonnen Munea; Taye Zeru; Selamawit Alemayehu Bekele; Sadiya Osman Abdulahi; Tigist Biru Adamne; Hiwot Debebe Belete; Belay Bezabih Beyene; Melkamu Abte; Tesfaye B Mersha; Abel Fekadu Dadi; Daniel A Enquobahrie; Souci M Frissa; Yonas E Geda

doi:10.1186/s13031-023-00563-4

Gender-based violence in the context of armed conflict in Northern Ethiopia

Confl Health. 2024 Jan 3;18(1):1. doi: 10.1186/s13031-023-00563-4.

Authors

Desalew Salew Tewabe¹, Muluken Azage², Gizachew Yismaw Wubetu¹, Sisay Awoke Fenta³, Mulugeta Dile Worke⁴, Amanu Mekonen Asres⁵, Wallelign Alemnew Getnet⁶, Genet Gedamu Kassie⁷, Yonatan Menber⁷, Alemtsehay Mekonnen Munea⁷, Taye Zeru¹, Selamawit Alemayehu Bekele⁸, Sadiya Osman Abdulahi⁸, Tigist Biru Adamne⁹, Hiwot Debebe Belete⁹, Belay Bezabih Beyene¹, Melkamu Abte⁹, Tesfaye B Mersha¹⁰, Abel Fekadu Dadi^{6

11}, Daniel A Enquobahrie¹², Souci M Frissa¹³, Yonas E Geda¹⁴

Affiliations

¹ Amhara Public Health Institute, Amhara Region, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
² School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, P.o.Box: 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. mulukenag@yahoo.com.
³ Emergency Response and Recovery Officer, Amhara Region, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
⁴ Department of Midwifery, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia.
⁵ Faculty of Social Science, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
⁶ Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia.
⁷ School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Bahir Dar University, P.o.Box: 79, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
⁸ Bureau of Women Children and Social Affairs, Amhara Region, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
⁹ Amhara Regional Health Bureau, Amhara Region, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia.
¹⁰ Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.
¹¹ Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Australia.
¹² Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
¹³ Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, Health Service and Population Research Department, Centre for Global Mental Health, King's College London, London, UK.
¹⁴ Department of Neurology and the Franke Barrow Global Neuroscience Education Center, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA.

Abstract

Background: Gender-based violence (GBV) particularly against women is unfortunately common during armed conflicts. No rigorous and comprehensive empirical work has documented the extent of GBV and its consequences that took place during the two years of devastating armed conflict in Northern Ethiopia. This study aims to assess GBV and its consequences in war-torn areas of northern Ethiopia.

Methods: We used a qualitative method augmented by quantitative method to enroll research participants. We conducted in-depth interviews to characterize the lived experiences of GBV survivors. All interviews were conducted confidentially. The data were collected to the point of data saturation. All interviews were transcribed verbatim into local language, translated into English, and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. We also used reports from healthcare facilities and conducted a descriptive analysis of the demographic characteristics of study participants.

Results: One thousand one hundred seventy-seven persons reported GBV to healthcare providers. The qualitative study identified several forms of violence (sexual, physical, and psychological). Gang rape against women including minors as young as 14 years old girls was reported. Additionally, the perpetrators sexually violated women who were pregnant, and elderly women as old as 65 years, who took refuge in religious institutions. The perpetrators committed direct assaults on the body with items (e.g., burning the body with cigarette fire) or weapons, holding women and girls as captives, and deprivation of sleep and food. GBV survivors reported stigma, prejudice, suicide attempts, nightmares, and hopelessness. GBV survivors dealt with the traumatic stress by outmigration (leaving their residences), seeking care at healthcare facilities, self-isolation, being silent, dropping out of school, and seeking counseling.

Conclusion: GBV survivors were subjected to multiple and compounding types of violence, with a wide range of adverse health consequences for survivors and their families. GBV survivors require multifaceted interventions including psychological, health, and economic support to rehabilitate them to lead a productive life.

Keywords: Armed conflict; Physical violence; Psychological violence; Rape; Sexual violence.