Conference abstract
Psychological, medical and legal management of survivors from child sexual abuse in Yaoundé, Cameroon
Pan African Medical Journal - Conference Proceedings. 2023:17(121).04
Jun 2023.
doi: 10.11604/pamj-cp.2023.17.121.1578
Archived on: 04 Jun 2023
Contact the corresponding author
Keywords: Sexual abuse, children, victims, management, Yaoundé
Oral presentation
Psychological, medical and legal management of survivors from child sexual abuse in Yaoundé, Cameroon
Ngapout Ngoutane Rainatou Natacha1,&, Mboua Batoum Véronique1,2, Nseme Etouckey Eric1, Essiben Félix1, Epée Ngoué Jeannette1, Koki Ndombo Paul1,3
1Faculté de Médecine et de Sciences Biomédicales, Université de Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroun, 2Centre des Urgences de Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroun, 3Centre Mère-Enfant, Fondation Chantal Biya, Yaoundé, Cameroun
&Corresponding author
Introduction: child sexual abuse is part of child abuse, that harms a child’s daily life, child survival, development and dignity. The objective was to describe how children victims of sexual abuse are being taken care of, on psychological, medical and legal grounds.
Methods: we performed a cross-sectional multicentric study where we enrolled children and adolescents aged less than 18 years and admitted for sexual abuse, in four reference hospitals in Yaoundé from January 2015 to December 2019.
Results: ninety thousand one hundred and eighty-seven (19187) children and adolescents were admitted to these hospitals during this five-year period; 88 of them were survivors of sexual abuse, hence the prevalence of 4.5 for 1,000 admissions. 87 (98.86%) of such victims were female. Skin lacerations were the most commonly observed lesion (in 45 patients i.e 51.13%), then vulvae ecchymoses (n=18 i.e 20.45%), vaginal bleeding (n=17 i.e 19.31%) and/or disruption of hymen integrity (n= 23 i.e 26.13%). 80(90.90%) of victims were hospitalized. All such patients (n=88) had their lesions treated by medical or surgical procedures while 60(68.18%) underwent psychological management. 46(52.27%) sexually abused patients knew their perpetrators, and judiciary or/and administrative reporting was done for 39(44.31%) patients. The perpetrator was arrested in 6 cases only (6.81%), and one of them was sentenced. 86 patients (97.72%) were sent back to their families whereas one of the victims was placed in a host family.
Conclusion: the multidisciplinary care for sexually abused children and adolescents needs to be overhauled both in its medical, psychological, and legal components. The judiciary management warrants some improvement.
Psychological, medical and legal management of survivors from child sexual abuse in Yaoundé, Cameroon
Ngapout Ngoutane Rainatou Natacha1,&, Mboua Batoum Véronique1,2, Nseme Etouckey Eric1, Essiben Félix1, Epée Ngoué Jeannette1, Koki Ndombo Paul1,3
1Faculté de Médecine et de Sciences Biomédicales, Université de Yaoundé I, Yaoundé, Cameroun, 2Centre des Urgences de Yaoundé, Yaoundé, Cameroun, 3Centre Mère-Enfant, Fondation Chantal Biya, Yaoundé, Cameroun
&Corresponding author
Introduction: child sexual abuse is part of child abuse, that harms a child’s daily life, child survival, development and dignity. The objective was to describe how children victims of sexual abuse are being taken care of, on psychological, medical and legal grounds.
Methods: we performed a cross-sectional multicentric study where we enrolled children and adolescents aged less than 18 years and admitted for sexual abuse, in four reference hospitals in Yaoundé from January 2015 to December 2019.
Results: ninety thousand one hundred and eighty-seven (19187) children and adolescents were admitted to these hospitals during this five-year period; 88 of them were survivors of sexual abuse, hence the prevalence of 4.5 for 1,000 admissions. 87 (98.86%) of such victims were female. Skin lacerations were the most commonly observed lesion (in 45 patients i.e 51.13%), then vulvae ecchymoses (n=18 i.e 20.45%), vaginal bleeding (n=17 i.e 19.31%) and/or disruption of hymen integrity (n= 23 i.e 26.13%). 80(90.90%) of victims were hospitalized. All such patients (n=88) had their lesions treated by medical or surgical procedures while 60(68.18%) underwent psychological management. 46(52.27%) sexually abused patients knew their perpetrators, and judiciary or/and administrative reporting was done for 39(44.31%) patients. The perpetrator was arrested in 6 cases only (6.81%), and one of them was sentenced. 86 patients (97.72%) were sent back to their families whereas one of the victims was placed in a host family.
Conclusion: the multidisciplinary care for sexually abused children and adolescents needs to be overhauled both in its medical, psychological, and legal components. The judiciary management warrants some improvement.
