‘To speak or not to speak’: Exploring the reasons and channels of (non)disclosure of child sexual abuse in the Ga community in Ghana

Abstract

Child sexual abuse is a relatively common phenomenon across nations. Studies show that disclosing child sexual abuse is a critical aspect in resolving the problem. Yet, many children do not disclose their experiences of sexual abuse due to socio-cultural factors. The purpose of this study is to identify how incidences of child sexual abuse came to be known. Participants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling from selected communities in the Ga community in Ghana. The findings of the study revealed that almost all the cases of child sexual abuse were discovered accidentally; that victims rarely made the deliberate effort to report these abuses. The few participants who disclosed their sexual abuse did so to their friends. The findings underscore the need for creating a culturally enabling environment that targets empowering victims to disclose their experiences of sexual abuse in order to obtain support and redress.