Parental factors associated with the experience of gender-based violence among in-school adolescents during COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: There are media reports that the lockdown measure against the COVID-19 pandemic may increase the incidence of GBV in the home, but empirical evidence is lacking. This study assessed adolescents' experiences of gender-based violence during the COVID-19 lockdown and the parental factors associated with the experience of gender-based violence among adolescents during the COVID-19 lockdown using Ibadan, Nigeria as a case study.
Methodology: In a cross-sectional study, 520 in-school adolescents were selected by multistage sampling and interviewed on their sociodemographic characteristics, parental characteristics, and experiences of GBV during the COVID-19 lockdown. Chi-square statistics were used to collect and analyze data.
Results: There were 266 females and 254 males, aged 15.28±1.40years (females) and 15.64±1.53 years (males), and lived with both parents (n=70.6%). Respondent's parents (about 79%) are currently married and living together. There is an association between the experience of violence during the lockdown and adolescent fathers' occupations (x^2= 11.88, p=0.008). Previous home exposure to inter-parental violence was associated with adolescent's experience of physical violence (x^2 = 10.43, P= 0.001), psychological violence (x^2=16.35, p=< 0.001), and financial violence (x^2= 14.51, p=< 0.001) during the pandemic.
Conclusion: The study's findings suggested that parental factors such as inter-parental violence and the father's occupation were drivers of adolescents' experiences of gender-based violence during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Furthermore, measures are recommended to reduce parental and inter-parental violence in the home.