Sexual Abuse In Schools

Child sexual abuse is one of the common violence spearheading the country now, a human rights violation affecting all age groups within the childhood period globally which rules the life of our future leaders, this has prompted plan Ghana and the  International Non-Governmental Child Centered Community Development Organization to have a global campaign dubbed “Lean Without Fear” to create safer school environment for children.

Launched at the Ghana International  Press Center in Accra with the media on how to elaborate issue.

Mr.George Cobbinah Yorke the advocacy and  governance advisor of Plan Ghana revealed that in march 2009, a study was conducted in the upper Manya and Awutu Senya district within eight communities (Bontrase, Papaase, Obranchire, Essuekyir, Asesewa, Akateng, Fefe and Mensah Dawa) to have in-depth understanding of problem of child sexual abuse in schools in Ghana.

He said the research shown that, most of the basic and secondary children between the ages of 10-17 years in the district have adequate knowledge of sexual abuse,96% of school children perceive girls to be more vulnerable to sexual abuse than boys.

He stated that 14% of school children have been sexually abused in a ratio of 11:9,children aged 14-16 years are more at risk of sexual abuse, 67% of the victims of child abuse are in Senior High School (SHS),28% in Junior High School  and 5% in the primary school,53% of this sexual abuse occur in schools and 47% happens at home which make school children to feel safer at home than in school.

He went on to stress on the types and forms of sexual abuse, contact and non-contact of abuse which include, giving sexual note or messages (48%),requests for sexual favors (46%), unwelcome sexual advances or attacks (43%),fondle, touch, grab or pinch in a sexual way(42%) the rest are shown or given sexual photographs(32%),sexual motivated physical contact(26%) and (15%) have actual sex.

He noted that, main perpetrators of child abuse are classmate(89%),female friends(52%), male friends (37%), neighbors (36%),teachers (21%), other adult in the community (14%) and relatives (13%), (36%) of male victims are sexual abuse by males, while (20%) of female victims are abused by males.

He further explained that, the main cause which is poverty recording (35%), sexual  pleasure (12%), lack of parental control and care and influence from peers recorded (10%) respectively. He said (100%) of victims who are girls do not enjoy school again, (73%) become afraid of perpetrators and are unable to concentrate on their studies after sexual abuse anytime they see the perpetrators.

He said all these forms of abuse are not reported, only (30%) of victims report incident to someone, (45%) mostly tell their friends, (20%) tell parents, (12%) tell relatives, (7%) tell teachers and (2%) tell the police,(70%) of victims do not tell anyone about the incident and must report this cases immediately he advised.

He said the plan Ghana will advocate campaign for the enforcement of legislation, alleviation of household poverty, scale up the school guidance and counseling service and strengthen institution to mandate and address sexual abuse. He then called on parents, teachers, friends, police and the individuals to help end violence against children, Act Now!!!