Sexual abuse and accepting attitudes towards intimate partner rape in Uganda

Objective: The aim was to study sexual abuse, accepting attitudes towards intimate partner rape and psychological concomitants in intimate partner relationships in Uganda. Method: A questionnaire was completed by 315 respondents (174 females and 141 males). The mean age for females was 31.7 years ( SD = 10.3) and 33.6 ( SD = 12.4) for males. Results: Females scored significantly higher than males on victimisation from aggression due to denial of sex, victimisation from sexual abuse, and psychological concomitants of intimate partner rape. The acceptance rate for rape in intimate relationships was high, only one percent among females and two percent among males reported zero tolerance. Victimisation from sexual abuse as well as psychological concomitants of intimate partner rape were significantly higher among respondents who had completed only primary school compared to those with a higher education. Accepting attitudes towards rape in intimate relationships were positively correlated with age, no sex differences were found. Respondents with higher educational levels reported significantly lower levels of acceptance of intimate partner rape. For females, but not for males, accepting attitudes correlated positively with both victimisation and psychological concomitants. Conclusions: Victimisation from sexual abuse, psychological concomitants and accepting attitudes towards intimate partner rape were all related to low educational level. Reasons for the high levels of accepting attitudes towards intimate partner rape especially among female victims are discussed.