Attachments
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The following summary highlights key findings from the 2022 Uganda Humanitarian Violence Against Children and Youth Survey (HVACS). Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (VACS) have hitherto been carried out exclusively in development contexts, with the exception of one VACS in a development setting that also sampled from humanitarian areas. This survey is the firstever VACS conducted exclusively in a humanitarian setting – specifically, refugee settlements in Uganda. The survey measures the prevalence, nature, and consequences of physical, emotional, and sexual violence against children and youth in refugee settings. The survey enhances implementing partners’ capacity to design, implement, and evaluate violence prevention programmes and build successful child protection systems in humanitarian settings. The survey results include several notable findings that provide critical insights into the experiences of children and youth in refugee settings in Uganda.
Key findings
Prevalence of Violence Against Children (VAC)/Violence Experienced in Childhood (18-24-year olds)
• Nearly half of females (42.6%) and males (49.6%) in refugee settlements in Uganda experienced violence during their childhood years.
• Among the 19.4% of females who experienced sexual violence in childhood, nearly two-thirds (62.7%) experienced multiple incidents before age 18.
• Physical violence is the most common type of violence experienced in childhood in refugee settlements in Uganda. Nearly one out of four females (27.6%) and 40.9% of males experienced physical violence in childhood.
Perpetrators of VAC/Violence Experienced in Childhood (18-24-year-olds)
• For females, intimate partners are the most common perpetrators of sexual violence in childhood, comprising 30.5% of first incidents.
• Physical violence in childhood perpetrated by parents, caregivers, and adult relatives is common, affecting 23.3% of females and 41.2% of males.
• Emotional violence in childhood perpetrated by parents, caregivers, and adult relatives is also common, affecting 14.2% of females and 22.5% of males.
Disclosure of Violence (18-24-year-olds)
• Only 17.1% of females and 30.6% of males who experienced sexual violence in childhood told someone about an incident of sexual violence.
• Only 6.3% of females and 9.0% of males who experienced physical violence in childhood told someone about an incident of physical violence.
Service-seeking for Violence (18-24-year-olds)
• More than half of females (54.8%) and 73.0% of males who experienced sexual violence knew where to go for services for sexual violence, but very few sought services: only 5.1% of females and 17.2% of males sought services for sexual violence.
• About half (51.7%) of females who had experienced physical violence in childhood knew where to go for services, but only 3.4% sought services for an incident of physical violence.
• Nearly three out of four (70.2%) males who experienced physical violence in childhood knew where to go for services, but only 1.0% sought services for an incident of physical violence.
HIV Testing Behaviour (15-24-year-olds)
• Slightly more females than males had ever been tested for HIV (females 45.1%, males 40.7%).
• Among females who experienced sexual violence in the past 12 months, 55.1% had ever been tested for HIV.
• Among males who experienced sexual violence in the past 12 months, 67.1% had ever been tested for HIV.
Consequences of VAC/Violence Experienced in Childhood (18-24-year-olds)
• Sexual risk-taking behaviour. About two out of three females (67.3%) and males (62.4%) had ever had sex. Males who had ever had sex are more likely than females to have had multiple sex partners in the past year (females 2.7%; males 31.0%).
• Mental health problems. Females who experienced sexual violence in childhood are more likely to experience mental distress (81.6%) and suicidal ideation (14.5%) compared to females who did not experience sexual violence in childhood (mental distress 70.4%; suicidal ideation 7.4%).
• Violence perpetration. Experiencing physical violence in childhood was significantly associated with physical violence perpetration among females (12.5% among survivors; 5.0% among those who did not experience physical violence in childhood)
Risk Factors Associated with Violence (13-24-year-olds)
• Witnessing violence at home. Females ages 13-17 who witnessed violence in their home were significantly more likely to have experienced sexual or physical violence in the past 12 months compared to those who had not witnessed violence in the home (53.9% versus 15.2%). Males ages 13-17 who witnessed violence in their homes were significantly more likely to have experienced sexual or physical violence in the past 12 months compared to those who had not witnessed violence in the home (60.2% versus 21.3%).
• Disability. Females ages 18-24 who had any form of disability were more likely to experience sexual and physical violence in the past 12 months compared to females ages 18-24 who had no form of disability (34.7% versus 27.5%). Males ages 18-24 who had any form of disability were significantly more likely to experience sexual and physical violence in the past 12 months compared to males who did not have any form of disability (62.6% versus 31.1%).
Informed by the 2022 HVACS findings, key stakeholders from different sectors came together at a Data-to-Action workshop to review and interpret the results and identify sector-specific priorities for preventing or responding to violence against children with a focus on humanitarian settings, as well as strategies for implementing interventions. The recommendations from the Data-to-Action workshop are being used to inform programme directions and resource mobilisation for effective prevention and response to violence against children in refugee settings in the country.