Abstract

Chiamaka Ogechi Anyasor* and Aishat Folayemi Adeniran

ABSTRACT

Child sexual abuse continues to pose numerous public health problems. This study aims to assess the perceived effect of sexual abuse on psychological wellbeing and academic performance. Study adopted a descriptive survey design. A total number of 411 participants were recruited using convenience sampling technique. Questionnaire with close-ended questions was used to collect information from the respondents. Data was analysed using SPSS. Majority of the participants were of the opinion that sexual abuse predisposes people to posttraumatic stress disorder (97.7%) and depression (95.5%). Additionally, 94.3% agreed that sexual abuse causes loss of concentration in class; eighty-five percent agreed that sexual abuse could cause victims to have low grades in their class assessment while sixty-four percent agreed that it makes victims drop out of school. Poverty was identified as one of the factors that predisposed individuals to sexual abuse (55.5%). Lack of adequate information on effect of sexual abuse was identified. There is need for intensified programmes on sexual abuse in order to sensitize the public on its implications on emotional wellbeing and academic performance.