Context and disclosure of female child sexual abuse: analysis of victims case reports in Ghana

• Child sexual abuse often occurred at home by a known perpetrator. • Fear was a major barrier preventing disclosure of abuse. • The disclosures were either purposeful and immediate, or accidental disclosure. • There is a need for risk awareness and safety training for parents and children. Child sexual abuse is a pervasive global problem and largely under-reported. Victims often delay disclosure of the abuse due to various reasons. Disclosure of the abuse aids in accessing help and to protect children from further harm. This study reports on a qualitative analysis of 110 cases of sexual abuse of children supported by an NGO focused on assisting victims of sexual abuse. Content analysis was used to analyse the data with four emerging major themes: Relationship to perpetrator (who); Context of the sexual abuse (how and where); Recipients of the disclosure; and Barriers to disclosure. The findings showed that the perpetrator was mostly a relative, the abuse mostly occurred at home but also likely to occur in other settings. Victims tend to disclose the abuse experience to a female figure or guardian and to peers. Barriers to disclosure reported in the study include fear of blame, family reaction, and fear of the perpetrator. The findings demonstrate children are at risk anywhere and there is the need to put in measures that ensure the safety of children. Although children may want to disclose the abuse, they are sensitive to how they will be perceived by significant others hence do not disclose. There is the need for education of parents and children on risk awareness and safety practices