Violence against housemaids and associated factors in Jimma town, Southwest Ethiopia, 2023.

Background: Violence against women is a pervasive public health problem that remains hidden and largely underreported. Although all women are vulnerable to violence, the probability of experiencing violence against housemaids seems to be particularly high. However, evidence on the prevalence of violence against housemaids and associated factors is scarce.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence and factors associated with violence against housemaids in Jimma town, southwestern Ethiopia, in 2023.

Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study design of 422 housemaids living in Jimma town. Simple random sampling was used to select participants. To collect the data, a questionnaire administered during a pretested structured interview was used. Quantitative data were collected using an open data kit and then exported to SPSS version 26. Bivariate analysis was performed to select candidate variables with P values < 0.25. Then, multivariable logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with P values less than 0.05 with their respective AORs and 95% CIs. Finally, a report was presented.

Results: The work lifetime prevalence of violence against housemaids was 61.7%. Violence against housemaids during their work lifetime was associated with having no formal education (AOR = 3.7; 95% CI: 1.22-11.33), having a duration of work greater than four years (AOR = 2.6; 95% CI:1.44-4.99), having two to four durations of work (AOR = 2.4; 95% CI:1.29-4.61), having a job by broker (AOR = 2.8; 95% CI:1.72-4.62), lacking a specific task (AOR = 1.8: 95% CI:1.07-2.90), no social support (AOR = 4.5; 95% CI:1.56-12.89), and having more than six families (AOR = 5.4; 95% CI,2.19-13.49).

Conclusion and recommendation: The prevalence of violence against housemaids was relatively high. Over one-third (46.7%) of them experienced at least one incident of physical, psychological, or sexual violence. Educational status, duration of work, having a job with a broker, lack of specific tasks, social support, and family size were factors associated with violence against housemaids.