Violence against Housemaids and associated factors in Jimma Town, Southwest Ethiopia, 2023: a mixed-method study

Abstract 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 Parallel sampling was used in a community-based mixed-methods study 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. Qualitative data from fifteen in-depth interviews were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. 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. Thematic analysis was performed using ATLASti software after the audio recordings were transcribed. 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). The qualitative findings also revealed that there was no legal work agreement.