Prevalence and Socio-Demographic Determinants of Non-Consensual Sex Experiences among Undergraduate Students of Public Universities in Port Harcourt

Background: Non-consensual sex is scarcely reported especially among university students. This study investigated the prevalence and socio-demographic determinants of nonconsensual sex among students in public universities in Rivers State.

Methods: The study adopted the descriptive cross-sectional design and a multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted and a sample size of 1000 was determined. A structured questionnaire with a reliability coefficient of 0.81 was obtained. Data was analyzed with the aid of the Statistical Product for Service Solution (SPSS) version 25.0 using statistical tools such as percentage and binary logistic regression at 0.05 level of significance.

Results: The result showed that the prevalence of non-consensual sex was 459 (47.0%), with students with high peer group influence 212(48.8%), students who stayed with guardians 72(65.5%), and high social support 242(50.4%). There was a significant relationship (p< 0.05) between the perpetrators, type of parenthood and prevalence of non-consensual sex experiences among undergraduate students of public universities in Rivers State. There was no significant relationship (p>0.05) between peer group influence, the existence of a social support system and the prevalence of non-consensual sex experiences.

Conclusion: It was concluded that the socio-demographic determinants were family parenthood, peer pressure and social support. It was therefore recommended among others that, during their students' union week, the student union government should dramatize the preventive strategies against non-consensual sex with more emphasis on the vulnerability of younger and female students.