EXPERIENCES AND PERPETRATION OF INCEST AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN IBADAN NORTH EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, NIGERIA.

Abstract

The practice of incest has been on the increase globally in the recent past and most of the victims suffer in silence. Though incest has serious negative influence on its victims, it has not been fully investigated in Nigeria due to the sensitivity of the issue. This study was therefore designed to document the experiences and perpetration of incest among Senior Secondary School (SSS students in lbadan North East Local Government Area, Nigeria. A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was carried out and simple random sampling was used to select 9 out of 46 schools. A total of 620 students which represented all the students in the selected schools were included in the study. Respondents were interviewed using a semi-structured, self-administered questionnaire that elicited information relating to socio-demographic characteristics, sexual behaviour, experience and perpetration of incest as well as help seeking practices. Incest was regarded as a form of coercive behaviour in which a relative or in-law forcefully had sexual activity (which could include unwanted kiss, forced watching of pornography, rape) with the respondent or was perpetrated by the respondent. In addition, In-Depth Interviews (IDI) were conducted among eleven victims of incest. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression at p < 0.05, while the qualitative data were analysed using the thematic approach. Respondents' age was 15.8± 1.6 years and 64.0% were females.Twenty eight percent of the respondents were sexually active and age of sexual debut was 14.0± 2.7 years. Seventeen percent of the respondents had experienced incest of which 66 (18.9%) were in the 16-20 years age group and 41 (15.2%) were <16 years. The forms of incest experienced included unwanted kiss (6.8%), forced watching of pornography (5.5%) and rape (5.2%). Few (4.2%) of the respondents had perpetrated incest. More than half (57.9%) of the victims of incest did not seek help, out of which 20 (32.3%) did not because they perceived that they will not be believed. More (69.2%) of the victims and 84.2% of perpetrators reported that they needed help in respect of their experiences. Respondents who had ever experienced incest 11 (10.3%) were significantly more likely to be perpetrators of incest. Significantly more males (25.6%) reported experience of incest than females (OR-I.7, 95% Cl: 4.1-2.7). Those who had ever had sex were three times more likely to have experienced incest (OR=3.3, 95% CI:2.0-5.4) compared to those who had not. Majority (60.7%) who had experienced incest were more likely to have experienced other forms of sexual coercion (OR=2.2, 95%, CI: 1.5-3.4). The IDI revealed that the victims experienced some consequences of incest which included loss of virginity, vaginal pains, vaginal bleeding, hatred for perpetrators and self, as well as depression. Experience and perpetration of incest is high among senior secondary school students in lbadan North East Local Government Area. Despite the negative consequences, most victims did not seek help. Appropriate school health programmes, public enlightenment and psychotherapy or counselling are advocated.