Evaluation of the North West Province educational programme for the primary prevention of child sexual abuse

Abstract

Child sexual abuse is a widespread problem nationally and internationally. Sexual abuse is traumatic for the child victim. Usually the adult abuser takes advantage of the child’s innocence and trust in adults. In many cases, the abuser threatens or bribes the child to keep silent. Because of t he threats, fear and embarrassment, most children do not tell anyone about the abuse. Keeping the secret of abuse only causes more emotional stress for the child and the family. Because of the betrayal by an adult, the child often experience feelings of guilt as if the abuse is his or her fault. As a result of this, i t becomes difficult for the abused child to trust people. Anger, guilt and fear are common feelings that sexually abused children may experience . Childhood sexual abuse can cause lifelong psychological and physical damage, even if the emotional effects of sexual abuse may not be evident immediately. Victims may experience abuse-related problems as adults. This refers to the ability to trust people and form close relationships with them. Both boys and girls can be the victims of sexual abuse. However, females are more often victims of sexual abuse than males. Due to the increasing number o f reports of child sexual abuse cases in the Moses Kotane Local Municipality, North West Province, the researcher decided to evaluate the content and presentation of the educational programmes for the primary prevention of child sexual abuse, to establish whether they are empowering children to protect themselves against sexual abuse. The researcher’s concern i s that despite the efforts by different departments to educate children on sexual abuse, more and more cases are reported. The research question to guide this study, was formulated as follows: How do the children that are exposed to the sexual abuse educational programme that is being presented in the Moses Kotane Local Municipality, experience the content of the programme as well as the way it has been presented? A quantitative research approach was used to explore the research question . Thirty (30) children from the Baphiring Middle school between the ages eleven (11) and fourteen (14) years, were randomly sampled for inclusion in the study. The data collection method used was a group questionnaire . Three themes were explored , namely child sexual abuse, presentation of the programme and empowerment of children against child sexual abuse. The findings showed that during the programme presentation, most children did learn of certain prevention concepts such as what child abuse is, who could potentially abuse the children, possible signs and symptoms of a sexually abused child and what to do to prevent sexual abuse. The findings also showed that the presentation of the programme on child sexual abuse should continue to empower children. The programme can be adjusted to be more child friendly.

Die seksuele mishandeling van kinders is ‘n wydverspreide proble em, beide op nasionale en internasionale vlak. Seksuele mishandeling is traumaties vir die kind as slagoffer. Gewoonlik maak die volwassene wat di e kind op hierdie wyse mishandel , misbruik van die kind se onskuld en vertroue in volwasse persone. In baie gevalle dreig die persoon wat die kind mishandel die betrokke kind of koop die kind met materiële gunste om sodat d ie kind nie die mishandeling aanmeld of bekend-maak nie. As gevolg v an sulke dreigemente, word vrees en skaamte geskep en sal die meeste kinders die mishandeling nie aan ander pe rsone bekendmaak nie . Die geheimhouding van die mishandeling skep egter nog meer emosio nele spanning vir die kind en selfs vir die gesin van sodanige kind . Deurdat ‘n kind deur ‘n volwasse persoon teleurgesteld is, ervaar die kind dikwels skuldgevoelens asof dit die kind se skuld is. As ‘n resultaat van laasgenoemde, word dit dus moeilik vir ‘n mishandelde kind om mense te vertrou. Woede, skuld gevoelens en vrees is emosies wat mishandelde kinders in die algemeen kan ervaar . Seksuele mishandeling gedurende die kinderjare kan lewenslange sielkundige en fisiese skade meebring, selfs al is emosionele gevolge van seksuele m ishandeling nie altyd dadelik sigbaar nie. Die slagoffers kan probleme en vaar wat verband hou m et die mishandeling wanneer hulle self volwassenes is. Laasgenoemde verwys onder andere na die vermo• om mense te vertrou en om hegte verhoudings m et hulle op te bou . Beide seuns en dogters kan slagoffers van seksuele mishandeling word. D it is egter wel waar dat meisies meer dikwels s lagoffers van hierdie vorm van mishandeling is as seuns. Die navorser het besluit om d ie inhoud en aanbieding van die opvoedkundige program te evalueer wat huidiglik in die Moses Kotane Plaaslike Munisipaliteit, in die Noord -Wes Provinsie, ten opsigte van primêre voorko ming van seksuele mishandeling van kinders aangebied wo rd. Hierdie evaluering is bel angrik aangesien daar ‘n toename is in die aantal gevalle van seksuele mishandeling van kinder s wat in hierdie gebied gerapporteer word. Die navorser wou vasstel of hierdie program wel kinders bemagtig om hulself teen seksuele mishandeling te beskerm. Die navorser is bekommerd oor die feit dat, ten spyte van die pogings wat verskeie depart emente aanwend om kinders oor seksuele mishandeling in te lig, meer en meer gevalle gerapporteer word. Die navorsingsvraag wat hierdie studie gerig het, was die volgende: Hoe het die kinders wat bloo tgestel is aan die opvoedkundige program oor die seksuele mishandeling van kinder s wat in die Moses Kotane Plaaslike Munisipaliteit anngebied is, die inhoud van die program en die wyse waarop dit aangebied is, ervaar? ‘n Kwantitatiewe navor singsbenadering is gevolg om die navorsingsvraag te eksploreer. ‘n Ewekansige steekproef van dertig (30) kinders va n die Baphiring Middle School, tussen die ouderdomme van elf (11) en veertien (14) jaar, is in die studie gebruik. Die datainsamelingsmetode was ‘n groepsvraelys. Drie temas is ondersoek, naamlik die seksuele mishandeling van kinders, die aanbieding van die program en die bemagtiging van kinders teen seksuele mishandeling. Die bevindings toon dat die meeste van die kinders gedurende die aanbieding van die program geleer het wat seksuele mishandeling va n kinders behels, wie moontlik ‘n kind seksueel kan mishandel, die tekens en simptome van ‘n seksueel mishandelde kind kan wees, wat om te doen wanneer ‘n kind aan so ‘n situasie blootgestel word en hoe seksuele mishandeling voorkom kan word. Die bevindings he t ook aangetoon dat die aanbieding van sodanige programme moet voortgaan ten einde kinders te bemagtig. Die program kan wel aangepas word om m eer kindervriendelik te wees.