Prevalence and factors associated to the occurrence of sexual violence among people with disabilities in Burkina Faso

Psychol Health Med. 2022 Mar 21:1-11. doi: 10.1080/13548506.2022.2049196. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

A person with a disability regardless of the gender has an increased risk of sexual coercion and violence in various ways. This study aimed to analyze the prevalence and the risk factors associated with lifetime sexual violence among people with disabilities (PWDs) in Burkina Faso. We conducted a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study carried out in four regions (Central, Central-East, Central-West and 'Hauts Bassins' regions) of Burkina Faso. PWDs were selected during a household survey through a two-stage random sampling technique. The prevalence of sexual violence in people disabilities was 7.4% (95%: CI 5.8-9.4). Females with disabilities were more likely than males with disabilities to report lifetime sexual violence (8.9% vs 4.9%). The place where the person usually spends time and the disability duration were significantly associated with the occurrence of sexual violence among female with disability. No significant association was found between different and sexual violence among people with disabilities. Sexual violence is frequent among PWDs in Burkina Faso. Specific policy to protect PWDs particularly women with disabilities from sexual violence is urgently needed.

Keywords: Burkina Faso; Sexual violence; person with disabilities.