Lifetime and Child Sexual Violence, Risk Factors and Mental Health Correlates Among a Nationally Representative Sample of Adolescents and Young Adults in Haiti: A Public Health Emergency

Abstract

Very little is known in Haiti and the Caribbean regarding child and lifetime sexual victimization. Using a nationally representative sample of adolescents and young adults aged 15–24, this study aimed to document the prevalence, risk factors and mental health correlates of lifetime and child sexual violence in Haiti. A national cross-sectional surrvey was conducted in Haiti, using a multistage sampling frame, stratified by geographical department, urban or rural setting, gender, and age groups (15–19 and 20–24 years). The final sample included 3586 household participants (47.6% female). A weighted sample of 3945 individuals was obtained and used in the following analyses. Overall rate of lifetime and child sexual violence was, respectively, 27.44% (95% CI 25.94–28.94) and 11.27% (95% CI 10.18–12.35). Lifetime sexual violence rate was significantly higher among female participants (29.02%; 95% CI 27.5–30.55) compared to male (25.73%, 95% CI 24.26–27.2), χ2 = 4.63, p