Fighting child sexual abuse: perspectives of pupils from a developing country

This study investigated secondary school pupils’ views on strategies that can be used to prevent child sexual abuse (CSA). A survey design was adopted as the operational framework for data gathering. Data were collected from three secondary schools, all in the Gweru district of Zimbabwe. The sample...

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Main Author: Gwirayi, Pesanayi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publications 2021
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244012472687
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2158244012472687
http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4352
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author Gwirayi, Pesanayi
author_facet Gwirayi, Pesanayi
author_sort Gwirayi, Pesanayi
collection DSpace
description This study investigated secondary school pupils’ views on strategies that can be used to prevent child sexual abuse (CSA). A survey design was adopted as the operational framework for data gathering. Data were collected from three secondary schools, all in the Gweru district of Zimbabwe. The sample comprised 268 secondary pupils (50% female; M age = 15.42, SD = 1.376). Each participant was asked to write down three main strategies that can be used to fight CSA on a given questionnaire. The responses were then analyzed using the thematic content analysis technique. The study revealed that most pupils believed that CSA can be prevented through teaching them about it and also reporting to the police. Another significant finding was that pupils’ responses tended to vary with gender and level of education. Whereas female respondents suggested that CSA can be fought by avoiding strangers, saying no to sexual advances, and having reliable friends, their male counterparts suggested teaching the community about CSA, forming new clubs, and enacting life imprisonment for perpetrators, among other suggestions. In terms of level of education, Form 2 participants suggested avoiding strangers, staying home at night, whereas their Form 4 counterparts suggested lessons for Guidance and Counseling, saying no to sexual advances, and having reliable friends. These findings unequivocally demonstrate the need to vigorously engage secondary school pupils in activities aimed at fighting CSA to safeguard their inalienable human rights.
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spelling ir-11408-43522022-06-27T13:49:06Z Fighting child sexual abuse: perspectives of pupils from a developing country Gwirayi, Pesanayi Child sexual abuse Secondary school pupils Human rights Zimbabwe This study investigated secondary school pupils’ views on strategies that can be used to prevent child sexual abuse (CSA). A survey design was adopted as the operational framework for data gathering. Data were collected from three secondary schools, all in the Gweru district of Zimbabwe. The sample comprised 268 secondary pupils (50% female; M age = 15.42, SD = 1.376). Each participant was asked to write down three main strategies that can be used to fight CSA on a given questionnaire. The responses were then analyzed using the thematic content analysis technique. The study revealed that most pupils believed that CSA can be prevented through teaching them about it and also reporting to the police. Another significant finding was that pupils’ responses tended to vary with gender and level of education. Whereas female respondents suggested that CSA can be fought by avoiding strangers, saying no to sexual advances, and having reliable friends, their male counterparts suggested teaching the community about CSA, forming new clubs, and enacting life imprisonment for perpetrators, among other suggestions. In terms of level of education, Form 2 participants suggested avoiding strangers, staying home at night, whereas their Form 4 counterparts suggested lessons for Guidance and Counseling, saying no to sexual advances, and having reliable friends. These findings unequivocally demonstrate the need to vigorously engage secondary school pupils in activities aimed at fighting CSA to safeguard their inalienable human rights. 2021-06-03T12:31:43Z 2021-06-03T12:31:43Z 2013 Article 2158-2440 https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244012472687 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2158244012472687 http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4352 en Sage Open;p. 1-10 open SAGE Publications
spellingShingle Child sexual abuse
Secondary school pupils
Human rights
Zimbabwe
Gwirayi, Pesanayi
Fighting child sexual abuse: perspectives of pupils from a developing country
title Fighting child sexual abuse: perspectives of pupils from a developing country
title_full Fighting child sexual abuse: perspectives of pupils from a developing country
title_fullStr Fighting child sexual abuse: perspectives of pupils from a developing country
title_full_unstemmed Fighting child sexual abuse: perspectives of pupils from a developing country
title_short Fighting child sexual abuse: perspectives of pupils from a developing country
title_sort fighting child sexual abuse: perspectives of pupils from a developing country
topic Child sexual abuse
Secondary school pupils
Human rights
Zimbabwe
url https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244012472687
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2158244012472687
http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4352
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