An Exploratory Assessment of Homicide in Shebel Berenta Woreda, East Gojjam, North West Ethiopia

Abstract

ntroduction: Violent death has been among the leading public health and social problems in both western societies and developing countries. Ethiopia was estimated to have 20, 239 homicides at a rate of 25.5 per 100,000 populations in 2008, by UNODC. The available, fairly recent, literatures on homicide are quantitative comparisons of rates and mainly based on industrial societies. The theories developed are still in debate and were not tested in different cultural contexts in developing countries. Objective: The objective of the study was to assess prevalence and associated factors of homicide in Shebel Berenta woreda, East Gojjam, North West Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional community based study using quantitative survey, qualitative methods and secondary data analysis was conducted from February -March 2012. The sample size of the study was 2008 but analysis was based on 1949 completed questionnaires. Three FGDs and 2 in-depth interviews with a total of 29 participants were involved in the qualitative methods. The sampling unit for the survey was households and the study unit was household head/an adult (≥18 years) in each sampled household. Participants for qualitative methods were selected purposively. Binary Logistic regression was used for the analysis of quantitative survey and the qualitative findings were analyzed thematically. Result: The survey found out that the life time prevalence of homicide was 11.5 %, along with a life time perpetration of 12.1 %. The conditions/reasons for homicide to be justified as the right measure to be taken as a solution of conflict were more of honor related. Eight hundred fifty one 851 (43.7%) of respondents said they will kill for revenge if homicide is done to someone close to them. Almost half 973 (49.9%) of the respondents intend to have firearm for their security. Two hundred sixty six (13.6%) of respondents admitted they ever had thought to kill a person and 204(68 %) of them attempted to kill. Those who were in the age group 18-27[AOR (95% CI) = 1.859(1.181, 2.927)] were 1.9 times more likely to be exposed to physical fighting than those who were greater or equals to 38 years of age. Those who had no education [AOR (95% CI) = 4.407(1.097, 17.708)] were 4.4 times more likely to support homicide in some conditions than who achieved college and above. Those who earn <=300 ETB/month were 1.6 times more supportive of homicide than those who earn 1500 ETB/month and were also 1.7 times and 6 times more likely to support revenge and to attempt killing than those who earn > 1500 ETB/month, respectively. Those who drink alcohol [AOR (95% CI) = 1.851(1.418, 2.416)] were 1.9 times more likely to support homicide than those who were not. Those who had a history of being drunk were 3.3 times more likely to be victim of murder trial than those who had not. Those who ever had firearm [AOR (95% CI) = 1.916(1.191, 3.084)] were 1.9 times more likely to be victims of murder trail than those who had not. Those who had no any brother [AOR (95% CI) = 0.493(0.266, 0.913)] were by 50.7 % less likely to be at risk of being victim of murder trial than those who had three or more brothers. Those who had victim families were 1.7 times more likely to be exposed for physical fighting and were 3 times more likely to be victims of murder trial. The trends of homicide in the study area had an irregular pattern with three high picks. Conclusion: The effect of culture was so strong that the majority of reasons that were justified to be right to kill an individual were honor related. The role of cultural organizations in educating and working on harmful traditions like revenge should be strengthened in the study area.