A Study of Childhood Sexual Abuse among South African University Women Students

Abstract

There are no prevalence figures for childhood sexual abuse among South African women university students. This study addressed this gap, providing figures for an unselected, non-clinical group of 94 women students who constituted the sample at the University of Cape Town. A review of the methodological problems in this kind of research suggests that one of these concerns the stigma associated with sexual abuse. A novel approach which combines a search for prevalence information as well as providing participants with a potentially therapeutic experience is described. The intervention took the form of structured educational input concerning the relationship between gender socialization and sexual abuse, and stereotypes about sexual assault and abuse. Unpressured discussion of personal experience was facilitated in a supportive context of peer groups, organized around non-threatening tasks, to enable breaking of the silence which so often follows sexual abuse. Written discussions of childhood sexual abuse were obtained later and, although such information was not solicited, students voluntarily disclosed their own experience. This revealed 43,6% of the group (41 women) had experienced 61 instances of sexual abuse under age 18 years. Attempted rape or rape had occurred in 17% of the self-identified sexually abused women, and 47,5% of the 61 instances of sexual abuse had involved intrusive physical contact. There had been no previous disclosure in 34,4% of cases. On follow-up, two-thirds of the women expressed reservations about voluntary open discussion of sexual abuse within the peer groups, clearly implicating expectations of stigmatic effects following disclosure.