Child sexual abuse presenting to a teaching hospital in colombo, Sri Lanka
Introduction Child sexual abuse is a major public health problem in Sri Lanka, with prevalence rates ranging from 14-44%. Objectives We aimed to describe the victim and perpetrator characteristics, pattern of disclosure and psychological consequences of sexual abuse in children presenting to a t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2021-04-01
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| Series: | European Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821016795/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797617248845692928 |
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| author | Y. Rohanachandra I. Amarabandu P.B. Dassanayake |
| author_facet | Y. Rohanachandra I. Amarabandu P.B. Dassanayake |
| author_sort | Y. Rohanachandra |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
Child sexual abuse is a major public health problem in Sri Lanka, with prevalence rates ranging from 14-44%.
Objectives
We aimed to describe the victim and perpetrator characteristics, pattern of disclosure and psychological consequences of sexual abuse in children presenting to a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka.
Methods
This was a retrospective file review study of 164 victims who presented to a Teaching Hospital in Colombo, Sri Lanka, with alleged sexual abuse over a period of 5 years from 2015-2019.
Results
Majority of the victims were female and older than 12 years. Majority (73.6%) have been subjected to penetrative sexual abuse with 58.5% of victims reporting more than one incident of abuse. Almost all (99.9%) of the perpetrators were male, with 94.5% being known to the child. Only 42.7% (n=70) of the children revealed about the incident within the first week. Delayed disclosure (i.e. more than 1 week since the incident) was significantly higher in penetrative abuse (p<0.01), multiple incidents of abuse (p<0.01) and in abuse by a known person (p<0.05). Children who disclosed after one week were significantly less likely to disclose about the incident spontaneously (p<0.01). Psychological sequel was seen in 28.7%, with depression being the commonest diagnosis (8.5%). Psychological consequences were significantly in higher those who had physical evidence of abuse (p<0.01), delayed (after 1 week) disclosure (p<0.05) and in those who did not disclose spontaneously (p<0.01).
Conclusions
The victim and perpetrator characteristics, pattern of disclosure is comparable with previous literature.
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:53:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f82d7422fa7b41edb3c044977cd2e2a8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:53:06Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-f82d7422fa7b41edb3c044977cd2e2a82023-11-17T05:06:28ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852021-04-0164S631S63210.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.1679Child sexual abuse presenting to a teaching hospital in colombo, Sri LankaY. Rohanachandra0I. Amarabandu1P.B. Dassanayake2Department Of Psychiatry, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri LankaDepartment Of Psychiatry, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri LankaOffice Of The Judicial Medical Officer, Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka Introduction Child sexual abuse is a major public health problem in Sri Lanka, with prevalence rates ranging from 14-44%. Objectives We aimed to describe the victim and perpetrator characteristics, pattern of disclosure and psychological consequences of sexual abuse in children presenting to a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka. Methods This was a retrospective file review study of 164 victims who presented to a Teaching Hospital in Colombo, Sri Lanka, with alleged sexual abuse over a period of 5 years from 2015-2019. Results Majority of the victims were female and older than 12 years. Majority (73.6%) have been subjected to penetrative sexual abuse with 58.5% of victims reporting more than one incident of abuse. Almost all (99.9%) of the perpetrators were male, with 94.5% being known to the child. Only 42.7% (n=70) of the children revealed about the incident within the first week. Delayed disclosure (i.e. more than 1 week since the incident) was significantly higher in penetrative abuse (p<0.01), multiple incidents of abuse (p<0.01) and in abuse by a known person (p<0.05). Children who disclosed after one week were significantly less likely to disclose about the incident spontaneously (p<0.01). Psychological sequel was seen in 28.7%, with depression being the commonest diagnosis (8.5%). Psychological consequences were significantly in higher those who had physical evidence of abuse (p<0.01), delayed (after 1 week) disclosure (p<0.05) and in those who did not disclose spontaneously (p<0.01). Conclusions The victim and perpetrator characteristics, pattern of disclosure is comparable with previous literature. Disclosure No significant relationships. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821016795/type/journal_articlesexual abusepatterns of disclosurevictim characteristics |
| spellingShingle | Y. Rohanachandra I. Amarabandu P.B. Dassanayake Child sexual abuse presenting to a teaching hospital in colombo, Sri Lanka European Psychiatry sexual abuse patterns of disclosure victim characteristics |
| title | Child sexual abuse presenting to a teaching hospital in colombo, Sri Lanka |
| title_full | Child sexual abuse presenting to a teaching hospital in colombo, Sri Lanka |
| title_fullStr | Child sexual abuse presenting to a teaching hospital in colombo, Sri Lanka |
| title_full_unstemmed | Child sexual abuse presenting to a teaching hospital in colombo, Sri Lanka |
| title_short | Child sexual abuse presenting to a teaching hospital in colombo, Sri Lanka |
| title_sort | child sexual abuse presenting to a teaching hospital in colombo sri lanka |
| topic | sexual abuse patterns of disclosure victim characteristics |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821016795/type/journal_article |
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