Experience-Based Perception of Vulnerability Factors to Child Sexual Abuse by Health Care Professionals in Nigeria: A Qualitative Approach

Child sexual abuse (CSA) remains a major public health concern worldwide. In Africa, particularly, Nigeria, CSA is a silent, but lethal public health menace with prevalence reaching as high as 56% for different child sexual violence. Understanding the vulnerability factors of CSA promotes the creati...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Ogunjimi, Adetola I. (Autor) ; Oliveira, Wanderlei Abadio de (Autor) ; Ventura, Carla Aparecida Arena (Autor) ; Silva, Jorge Luiz da (Autor) ; Silva, Marta Angélica Iossi (Autor)
Tipo de documento: Electrónico Artículo
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: 2021
En: Journal of interpersonal violence
Año: 2021, Volumen: 36, Número: 23/24, Páginas: 11435-11460
Acceso en línea: Presumably Free Access
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Palabras clave:
Qualitative Analysis
health care professional
Vulnerability
Violence
Child Sexual Abuse
Descripción
Sumario:Child sexual abuse (CSA) remains a major public health concern worldwide. In Africa, particularly, Nigeria, CSA is a silent, but lethal public health menace with prevalence reaching as high as 56% for different child sexual violence. Understanding the vulnerability factors of CSA promotes the creation of strategies toward prevention of CSA. Due to social stigmatization of victims and their families in Nigeria, it is difficult for researchers and policymakers to have access to firsthand information about predisposing factors to CSA, which negatively impacts efforts toward prevention of CSA. Health care professionals are sources of experience-based, anonymous information about various public health issues. This study aims to understand qualitatively health care professionals’ perception of vulnerability factors of CSA. The study presents a thematic content analysis of a semi-structured interview of 14 health care professionals working with sexually abused children in Nigeria, on their perception of vulnerability factors of CSA, while aligning the factors with known models of violence. Participants in the study reported several interrelated vulnerability factors involving the individual, sexual abuse perpetrator, family, environment, socioeconomic situations, and the lack or nonimplementation of policies against CSA. The study concludes that identifying these factors can assist health care professionals, parents, and family to better respond to child sexual violence cases and policymakers to create new strategies of preventing CSA, thereby improving the health and safety of children in Nigeria.
ISSN:1552-6518
DOI:org/10.1177/0886260519897329