The nature and frequency of reported cases of teacher perpetrated child sexual abuse in rural primary schools in Zimbabwe

A Vignettes-Based Exploration of Attitudes of Parents Toward Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse in Ghana

Reporting child sexual abuse (CSA) to law enforcement institutions is the ideal child protection imperative. The role of parents in this process is unquestionably profound. Yet, there is limited evidence on parental perspectives on reporting CSA to law enforcement agencies in developing country contexts. We apply vignettes to describe the views of parents about reporting CSA perpetrated by "family members, schoolteachers, and strangers." Data was collected from 89 parents from four culturally diverse regions of Ghana. A systematic inductive approach was used to determine patterns and similarities in participants' attitudes toward reporting. We note that the attitudes of participants about reporting CSA varied considerably; these are influenced by the nature of social relationships between the victim and perpetrator. In a seeming order of severity, CSA perpetrated by a family member was viewed less seriously compared to victimization by a teacher or a stranger. The desire to preserve familial/kin ties and reputation and keeping to the cultural heritage of resolving "disputes and disagreements" amicably were primary norms against reporting CSA. However, attitudes toward reporting CSA by teachers were influenced by expectation of higher moral standards, which made reporting CSA by a teacher a reasonable cause of action. Positive attitudes toward reporting CSA by "strangers" were prevalent. Child protection programs must recognzse the segmented attitudes toward CSA and tackle the deep-seated cultural and social norms through social and behavioral change communication (SBCC).

Suffering whether You Tell or Don't Tell: Perceived Re-Victimization as a Barrier to Disclosing Child Sexual Abuse in Zimbabwe

Disclosing child sexual abuse (CSA) is a necessary first step to access the legal, health, and psycho-social services that survivors and their families need. However, disclosure rates are low: of young women who experienced CSA in Zimbabwe, only 9% disclosed the first incident. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and describe perceived barriers to disclosing CSA in Zimbabwe. We conducted focus group discussions with children aged 10-14 years (n = 40) and their parents/caregivers aged 20-62 years (n = 40), participating in an intervention trial in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe. We found that potential retaliation against survivors and their families is a major barrier to disclosing CSA. These retaliatory acts, which we refer to as "re-victimization," arise from stigma or the victim feeling blamed or doubted and manifest through physical violence, emotional violence, and deprivation of family life and education. Our findings suggest that addressing social and cultural norms related to sex and strengthening legal protection for CSA survivors and their families could encourage CSA disclosure and could help end this violence. Our findings also highlight a need to increase children's awareness of their rights and to create safe systems for disclosure of sexual abuse.

Pedophilic sexual interests and psychopathy in child sexual abusers working with children

Research has identified stable and dynamic characteristics in child sexual abusers working with children (CSA-W) that may distinguish them from other child sexual abusers (CSA). However, in previous research CSA-W have usually been included in the group of extra-familial CSA (CSA-E). Two hundred and forty-eight forensic-sexological reports about CSA conducted by the Federal Evaluation Centre for Violent and Sexual Offenders in the Austrian Prison System were evaluated retrospectively. One hundred and nineteen intra-familial CSA (CSA-I), 66 CSA-E, and 38 CSA-W were compared with regard to static risk factors, indicators of psychopathy, and pedophilic sexual interests. CSA-E had the highest risk of recidivism as measured by the Static-99 total score, followed by CSA-W. Furthermore, CSA-E had more previous convictions than CSA-W. Both CSA-E and CSA-I had higher total scores on the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised than CSA-W. CSA-W had the highest prevalence of pedophilia diagnoses according to DSM-IV-TR criteria, as well as the highest rate of pedophilia with an orientation toward male children, and the highest frequency of male victims. CSA-W also had the highest total scores in the Screening Scale for Pedophilic Interests. CSA-W seem to constitute a group with particular risk factors and criminogenic needs, that is, they show more indicators of pedophilic sexual interests but less general antisociality and psychopathy, and would thus seem to be distinguishable from other CSA. Future research should focus in particular on evaluating differences in the grooming strategies used by CSA-W to commit and disclose child sexual abuse, as well as on the resources of this particular offender group.

[Sexual assault in Port-Gentil]

Les agressions sexuelles portent atteinte à l'intégrité physique et psychologique des personnes qui en sont victimes et entraînent des conséquences néfastes. Le viol constitue la forme la plus accomplie de ces agressions. Cette étude rétrospective visait à répertorier les cas de violences sexuelles enregistrés auprès des greffes du tribunal et de la cour criminelle de Port-Gentil, et d'en donner une approche épidémiologique et criminologique. La prévalence des agressions sexuelles judiciarisées à Port-Gentil est de 15 cas par an. Parmi ces 45 dossiers d'agression sexuelle, 23 dossiers concernaient un attentat à la pudeur (51,1%) dont 18 cas impliquaient un mineur de moins de 15 ans (78,2% des attentats à la pudeur). Six dossiers concernaient une tentative de viol (13,3%). Onze dossiers concernaient un viol sur une femme de plus de 15 ans (24,4%). Deux dossiers concernaient un outrage public à la pudeur (4,4%) et 3 un détournement de mineur (6,6%). Les victimes étaient âgées de 4 à 65 ans avec un âge moyen de 13,4 ans. La plupart des victimes provenaient d'un milieu social défavorisé, prolétaire (61,1%). Les agresseurs étaient âgés de 16 à 62 ans avec un âge moyen de 29,6. Il importe de se pencher sur ce phénomène pour comprendre les enjeux que représentent les agressions sexuelles. Il faudra prendre en considération la dénonciation de l'agression sexuelle, le traumatisme subi et la prévention de tels crimes.

Sexual abuse in a classroom of ten male students: a group victimization

The term "professional perpetrator" is used to describe individuals who commit sexual abuse in the capacity of a position of trust such as a teacher, household member, or employer. There is an increasing body of evidence focusing on educator sexual abuse in the school environment. However, data are limited about this topic. The aim of this paper is to present the rare occurrence of the case of a male teacher in Turkey who sexually abused his students in an elementary school. Although it is unknown which populations are most vulnerable to sexual abuse, in Turkey we think that the indigenous population is at risk. Abuse cases are not logged into the criminal justice system because the majority of abuse allegations are ignored or disbelieved by families.

A description of sexual offending committed by Canadian teachers

The aim of this investigation was to describe teachers who sexually offend against youth and the circumstances related to these offenses. Archival Violent Crime Linkage Analysis System reports were obtained from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and demographic and criminal characteristics for the offender, as well as information about the victim and offense, were selected for analyses. A descriptive approach was used to analyze the qualitative reports for a group of 113 Canadian sexual offenders between 1995 and 2002. The results provide a description of adult male teachers who offended within their position of trust as well as offense and victim characteristics.

13,915 reasons for equity in sexual offences legislation: A national school-based survey in South Africa

OBJECTIVE

Prior to 2007, forced sex with male children in South Africa did not count as rape but as "indecent assault", a much less serious offence. This study sought to document prevalence of male sexual violence among school-going youth.

DESIGN

A facilitated self-administered questionnaire in nine of the 11 official languages in a stratified (province/metro/urban/rural) last stage random national sample.

SETTING

Teams visited 5162 classes in 1191 schools, in October and November 2002.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 269,705 learners aged 10-19 years in grades 6-11. Of these, 126,696 were male.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Schoolchildren answered questions about exposure in the last year to insults, beating, unwanted touching and forced sex. They indicated the sex of the perpetrator, and whether this was a family member, a fellow schoolchild, a teacher or another adult. Respondents also gave the age when they first suffered forced sex and when they first had consensual sex.

RESULTS

Some 9% (weighted value based on 13915/127097) of male respondents aged 11-19 years reported forced sex in the last year. Of those aged 18 years at the time of the survey, 44% (weighted value of 5385/11450) said they had been forced to have sex in their lives and 50% reported consensual sex. Perpetrators were most frequently an adult not from their own family, followed closely in frequency by other schoolchildren. Some 32% said the perpetrator was male, 41% said she was female and 27% said they had been forced to have sex by both male and female perpetrators. Male abuse of schoolboys was more common in rural areas while female perpetration was more an urban phenomenon.

CONCLUSION

This study uncovers endemic sexual abuse of male children that was suspected but hitherto only poorly documented. Legal recognition of the criminality of rape of male children is a first step. The next steps include serious investment in supporting male victims of abuse, and in prevention of all childhood sexual abuse.

Abuses of the girl child in some African societies: implications for nurse practitioners

The definition of a child in African societies varies. From the moment the girl child can talk and walk, she is allocated responsibilities within the family. Westernized cultures view such responsibilities as forms of abuse. Thus, various reports had been written about girl children and had been critical of African societies without acknowledging that Africa is a very large continent. This paper sets out to identify, explore, and present potential areas of abuse of the girl child, for example, female circumcision, child slaves, rape survivors, child soldiers, child prostitution, teenage pregnancy, and arranged marriages. This paper suggests strategies that healthcare professionals could initiate in situations where a girl child is being abused.

Child sexual abuse

Child sexual abuse is a worldwide concern. It is an insidious, persistent, and serious problem that, depending on the population studied and definition used, affects 2-62% of women and 3-16% of men as victims. Pain and tissue injury from child sexual abuse can completely heal in time, but psychological and medical consequences can persist through adulthood. Associated sexually transmitted diseases (such as HIV) and suicide attempts can be fatal. All physicians who treat children should be aware of the manifestations and consequences of child sexual abuse, and should be familiar with normal and abnormal genital and anal anatomy of children. This aim is best accomplished through training and routine examination of the anus and genitalia of children. Because as many as 96% of children assessed for suspected sexual abuse will have normal genital and anal examinations, a forensic interview by a trained professional must be relied on to document suspicion of abuse.