Exploring the vulnerability of sexual abuse among the children with disabilities in Bangladesh

Abstract

Children who live with physical, sensory, intellectual or mental disability are among the most stigmatised and marginalised of the world's children. Sexual abuse against children with disabilities is the worst form of rights’ violation. The present study was conducted to explore the nature, extent and magnitude of sexual abuse against children with disabilities in Bangladesh. A total 216 children with disabilities, aged between 7 and 18 years, were selected as sample from the six divisions in Bangladesh. The information of being sexually abused was collected from the children through drawing of self-portrait and personal body parts, play therapy, role play using locally made dolls and self-exploring by the researcher about personal experiences of sexual abuse. Analyses of all the collected information using alternative tools show that every one out of two children (51.38%) having disabilities experience sexual abuse, and the ratio of the sex of the children is near about equal (boys = 47.74% and girls = 52.25%). The variance in sexual abuse among the children with disabilities was found with regard to age, type of disability and region. Younger children (710 year olds) were more vulnerable to being sexually abused than others groups and children with mental disability were more at risk for sexual abuse than children with other types of disabilities. The findings of the study also indicate that almost all children (99.10%) were abused sexually by their family members and close-to-family members. The children with disabilities are vulnerable to sexual abuse within their family environment and this can be taken as priority for professional and integrated intervention to protect the rights of the children in Bangladesh.