CHILD
SEXUAL ABUSE: The
Situation in Lebanon”-
Pilot
National Study
Jinan A. Usta, Ziyad R. Mahfoud, Gisele Abi
Chahine and Ghida A. Anani
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
The problem of child sexual abuse (CSA) has scarcely
been addressed in the Arab world, despite its prevalence worldwide. In
collaboration with the Lebanese Ministry Of Social Affairs and Save the
Children Sweden, KAFA (enough) violence & Exploitation completed a unique
study in Lebanon
exploring and highlighting a problem that has otherwise been left behind closed
doors in this region. This project was envisioned following the encounter
of several child sexual abuse victims at the end of the July 2006 war in KAFA’s
Listening and Counselling
Center.
This study is an important first step in discussing and examining solutions to
a problem that has been ignored for too long. It has been implemented in
collaboration with the Higher Council for Childhood (HCC), the Ministry of
Social Affairs (MOSA), the Development Community Centres, Arab International
Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ARABISPCAN), the Rene
Mouawad Foundation (Access MENA Project), World Vision Area Development
Programs in Bourj Hammoud and Bekaa, in addition to Child Protection NGOs.
The study examines Child Sexual Abuse in Lebanon
by 1) assessing the magnitude of CSA, 2) identifying its predisposing
factors and drawing a profile of children who may be at high risk of victimization,
and 3) assessing the effect of the July 2006 war on the prevalence of
CSA. The research covered several areas in Lebanon and
included two major components: a cross-sectional survey of children aged 8 to
17 years, and focus group discussions with children, mothers and educators. The
results of the study will be disseminated in an effort to address and examine
objectively a problem that is currently cast in the shadows for being
considered ‘taboo’. Furthermore, this research will set a national strategy to
address CSA in Lebanon
and layout recommendations for reducing its occurrence especially under
emergency situations, including war. 1,025 children were administered a
structured survey related to their socio-demographic characteristics, exposure to
sexual abuse (before, during and after the July 2006 war), violence at home
(physical, psychological, verbal, as well as witnessing violence) lifestyle
habits and psychological status (i.e. trauma related symptoms that include
sleeping problems, depression, anxiety, anger, post traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD), dissociation, sexual concerns and somatic complaints).
16.1 per cent of the children surveyed admitted
experiencing at least one form of sexual abuse either
before or after the 2006 war. 12.5 per cent were victims of sexual acts, 8.7
per cent of sexual attempts, and 4.9 per cent were exposed to photos or movies
containing sexual content. The average age of children surveyed that
encountered some form of abuse was 10.3 years old.
Children’s gender, religion, schooling, father’s
education, and gender of the person sharing the child’s room made no difference
in the child’s likelihood of being a victim of sexual abuse. Children who were
more prone to
acts of sexual abuse included children coming from fragmented families, living
either in small or large houses, whose mother had either a high or low
education or a working-mother, and working children.
The survey showed that most incidents of sexual abuse occurred
at home. According to the findings, CSA was mostly prevalent in homes
were children witnessed violence or were subjected to physical or psychological
abuse, as well as amongst children who perceived a lack of family affection.
54.1 per cent of the sexually abused children said
they had talked to someone about being abused, most commonly their
mother. Children who had experienced some form of sexual abuse were more
likely to fail in school, lead a less healthy lifestyle, and have a worse
psychological profile than children who had not been abused. Symptoms of
abused children differed based on gender; sexually abused girls tended to
suffer more from symptoms related to post traumatic stress, sleeping problems,
and anxiety than did sexually abused boys.
4.8 per cent of the children surveyed admitted
experiencing at least one form of sexual act during the war. Findings showed
that boys were subjected to sexual abuse more frequently than girls during the
2006 war. Most of these abuse incidents took place at home and were inflicted
by an unidentified male.
The focus group discussions (FGD) held with mothers
and educators reflected a certain lack of knowledge regarding the prevalence
and the predisposing factors leading to CSA. The discussions also illustrated a
striking gender bias in addressing cases of sexual abuse, as cases of
girl-victims were treated with greater secrecy than boys. FGDs revealed the
reluctance of children to reveal the abuser’s identity, especially when the
perpetrator was a family member. Participants of the study acknowledged the
importance of addressing CSA on a national level despite it being considered
taboo in society.