An integrated approach to child sexual abuse intervention: Perspectives and experience of stakeholders in Addis Ababa Ethiopia

ABSTRACT An Integrated Approach to Child Sexual Abuse Intervention: Perspectives and Experiences of Stakeholders in Addis Ababa Ethiopia Firehiwot Jebessa Alito Addis Ababa University, 2015 A significant number of children... [ view full abstract ]

ABSTRACT

An Integrated Approach to Child Sexual Abuse Intervention: Perspectives and Experiences of Stakeholders in Addis Ababa Ethiopia
Firehiwot Jebessa Alito
Addis Ababa University, 2015

A significant number of children are sexually abused in Ethiopia and experience serious physical, psychological, and social trauma. Intervention services are needed to address these effects and related multifaceted needs of sexually abused children/SAC. However, these needs are not well addressed in the intervention system. Rather they are adversely affected by the system inflicted trauma. Hence, to improve intervention services, the more recent development is towards integration. In Ethiopia, the operation, benefits, and challenges of its implementation have not yet been examined. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate how the system operates and the benefits and challenges of working and receiving services in the system. The study employed descriptive qualitative methods. Nineteen research participants selected using purposive sampling took part in the study. Key informant interview and in-depth interviews were used to collect data. Qualitative content analysis was employed to analyze data. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, manually coded, and categorized into major themes and subthemes. Findings revealed that the overall CSA intervention system is operating with a coordinated integrative arrangement with communal management hierarchy. Multidisciplinary Team/MDT of professionals were co-located in one center but working independently without clear collaborative arrangement. This was subjecting SAC to repeated interviews and secondary victimization and contributed to various unmet needs of SAC and families and challenges affecting the overall integration, and effectiveness of service delivery. The study is imperative to realize the complications of the change processes in moving from un-integrated to integrated and then from coordinated to collaborative system.
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Key terms: Child sexual abuse, intervention system, integration, Multidisciplinary Team, National Coordinating Body, Stakeholders.