Impact of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence on the Well-Being of Women in Tigray Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

The humanitarian crisis in Tigray, Ethiopia, has precipitated widespread conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV), significantly undermining the well-being of women through physical, psychological, and socio-economic harm. Despite global recognition of GBV as a serious human rights violation, limited empirical research has examined its specific effects on women in conflict-affected settings such as Tigray. This study was guided by the need to address this gap. The general objective of the study was to examine the impact of conflict-related sexual violence on the well-being of women in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, with a focus on physical, psychological, sexual, and socioeconomic outcomes, as well as the moderating role of coping strategies. The specific objectives were to assess the physical and mental health outcomes associated with conflict-related sexual violence among women in Tigray, Ethiopia; to establish the socio-economic consequences of GBV in Tigray, Ethiopia; and to examine the moderating role of coping strategies on the relationship between conflict-related sexual violence and the well-being of women in Tigray, Ethiopia. The study was anchored on Eco-System Theory and Trauma Theory, which provided a useful basis for understanding gendered power relations and the long-term effects of violence on survivors. A descriptive cross-sectional research design was adopted. The target population comprised 2,340 women survivors of conflict-related sexual violence residing in internally displaced persons camps across Tigray. A sample of 344 respondents was selected using stratified and purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected through structured questionnaires, key informant interviews and focus group discussions, thereby allowing both quantitative and qualitative data to be generated. The findings revealed that 82% of respondents experienced severe physical injuries, including trauma, disability and chronic health complications, while 77% reported depression, posttraumatic stress disorder and anxiety. Further, 69% of respondents reported loss of livelihoods, while 64% indicated disruption of education and reduced employment opportunities. The study also established that coping strategies played a moderating role in shaping women’s well-being, although such strategies were not sufficient to fully offset the adverse effects of conflict-related sexual violence. The study concluded that conflict-related sexual violence in Tigray has devastating physical, psychological and socio-economic effects on women, and that coping strategies only partly cushion survivors from these outcomes. The study recommends strengthening survivor-centred interventions, including improved access to medical care, psychosocial support and livelihood recovery programmes, while also enhancing communitybased and institutional coping mechanisms to improve women’s resilience and well-being in conflict settings.