Child Sexual Abuse among Street Children: A comparative study of On-Street and Of-Street children in Port Harcourt Metropolis, South-South, Nigeria

Background: This study contrasts child sexual abuse (CSA) among on- and of-the-street youngsters in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Recognizing the vulnerability of these children due to their profession as street vendors. Child sexual exploitation, which involves sexual interaction beyond the age of consent or awareness, poses major risks to street children, including the possibility of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STI). The project attempts to overcome this gap by conducting a comparative examination of on- and of-street youth. Methods: A sample of 287 street children aged 8 to 18 were recruited from the Port Harcourt metropolis using a multistage sampling technique. Data was collected using a semi-structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire. Results: One hundred fifty-five (54.0%) of the participants lived on the streets, whereas 132 (46.0%) had a place to return to. Overall, street children had a high rate of child sexual abuse (49.8%). Sexual abuse was much higher among of-the-street children (71.2%) than on-the-street children (34.2%). Both groups experienced penetrative and non-penetrative patterns of sexual abuse; both patterns were shown to be more common among street children. Conclusion: The findings show a high rate of child sexual assault among street children in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, with the street children being particularly vulnerable. It is critical that the Nigerian government and civil society work together to end all types of child labor.