SEXUAL ABUSE AWARENESS

Sexual Abuse Research

One in eight young girls (between ages 6 – 18yrs age) unfortunately, will have experienced sexual abuse or know of young girls that have experience sexual abuse1,3,4. Sexual abuse against young girls, living in impoverish areas is a severe crisis sweeping across the nation; however, it is even more of a national crisis for Ethiopia young girls.

• Nearly 72% of Ethiopian women were subjected to sexual violence between the ages of 6-18yrs of age. The report states that the major form of violence takes place at the domestic level, in the households and by someone they know such as a relative5.
• The commercial sexual exploitation of children is a fundamental violation of children's rights. The child is treated as a sexual and commercial object. The commercial sexual exploitation of children constitutes a form of coercion and violence against children and amounts to forced labor and temporary slavery5.
• When young girls experience sexual abuse, many of them are forced or feel mentally coerced to exploit their bodies for income due to their fatal mental condition and impoverish environment5,8.
• Ethiopia is one of the countries in the world most severely-affected by HIV/AIDS: 7.3 percent of the adult population is infected and an estimated 2.2 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, including 200,000 children5,7.
• Despite the fact that sexual exploitation affects children across different age and socioeconomic groupings, certain groups of children are relatively more exposed to the problem. According to a survey of 84 child domestic servants in Addis Ababa, 60.0% of these children experienced sexual harassment by the male household heads or their sons5.
• Similarly, in a study on street girls in Addis Ababa, street girls were identified as constituting the population of children exposed to sexual abuse and exploitation of children. Research indicates 28.0% of the street girls were exposed to commercial sexual exploitation in their attempt to supplement their income and/or sustain themselves5,7.
• Another study also described the exposure of street girls to commercial sexual exploitation as a strategy adopted by the children for augmenting their income from beggary and various other activities 5,6,7.
• Despite its criminal status under Ethiopian law, commercial sexual exploitation of children is common practice in the major urban centers of Ethiopia5,6.

Side Effects of Child Sexual Abuse Research

• Children who are sexually abused are at significantly greater risk for later posttraumatic stress and other anxiety symptoms, depression and suicide attempts.
• These psychological problems can lead to significant disruptions in normal development and often have a lasting impact, leading to dysfunction & distress well into adulthood.
• Young girls who are the victims of sexual abuse experience physical, biological and behavioral problems that can persist for decades.
• A number of studies have found that adolescents with a history of child sexual abuse demonstrate an increase in rates of substance abuse/dependence.
• Sexually abused children tended to perform lower on psychometric tests measuring cognitive ability, academic achievement, and memory assessments when compared to same-age non-sexually abused children.
• 39% of 7 to 12-year-old girls with a history of child sexual abuse have academic difficulties.
• 7 to 12 year-old girls with a history of child sexual abuse were 50% more likely to display cognitive ability below the 25th percentile.
• 26% of 7 to 12 year-old girls with a history of child sexual abuse reported that their grades dropped after they were abused and 48% had below-average grades.
• The increased risk for pregnancy at a young age is likely due to over-sexualized behavior, another common consequence of child sexual abuse.

Effects of Mentoring and Educational Program for Young Girls

• Mentors serve as models with whom youth might identity, leading to increased socially and academically behavior – reducing delinquent behavior.
• Youth or children who survive abusive and neglectful upbringings are those who seek healthier relationships outside the home.
• Mentoring programs can help sexual abuse or impoverish girls to change their negative and oppressive thinking patterns into healthier thinking patterns – which would give them ultimately a healthy life.
• Educational programs cultivate human minds with values and principles that help to distinguish between wrong and right and enhances skills and development in children.
• Educational programs from philosophical point of view, teaches children how to think and analyze the world around but not to enforce them on what to think and what to do. It aims at creating the necessary understanding for what is good and bad individually. To develop creative thinking and imagination represents the purpose of education
• Educational programs is guide and road map for children who live in impoverish areas or who have experience sexual abuse because it bring hope and inspires them to move pass their situation and soar to higher heights in life.

Conclusion

Educational services and mentoring programs provide new lenses to children who have viewed life as negative and oppressive; thus, giving them healthier and safe outlets academically, mentally and socially. We desire to equip these girls with the necessary tools to succeed in school, home and eventually as productive adult leaders making valuable contributions in society.