Psychological impact of child sexual abuse

Abstract

The study was aimed to examine the Psychological Impact of Child Sexual Abuse. This was based on the Grama Niladhari Divisions of Echchankulam, Shastrikulangulam and Marakkarambalai under the Vavuniya Divisional Secretariat. Here 61 children (16 boys and 45 girls) aged 14-18 years who were subjected to child sexual abuses during the last five years were selected on purposive sampling method. Data from victims were collected by self-developed questionnaire and DASS-21 criteria. Data were also obtained through interviews with affected children, psychiatrists, counsellors and legal counsel. The data thus obtained were quantitatively analyzed using the techniques of descriptive analysis and inferential analysis through Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (Version- 22) and for qualitative analysis of the information obtained from the interview. This study explored there are different forms of child sexual abuse; women are more likely than men to be victims of child sexual abuse; victims of child sexual abuse show moderate level stress, victims of child sexual abuse experience mild depression, victims of child sexual abuse have mild anxiety. Conclusions have been found that children with single parents are more likely to be sexually abused, and children of working mothers are more likely to be sexually abused