Reported child sexual abuse in Bahrain: 2000-2009
Reported child sexual abuse in Bahrain: 2000-2009
Blog Article
Background and Objective: Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a common problem with severe short and long-term consequences to the abused child, the family and to society.The PS-300 PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE aim of this study was to evaluate the extent of CSA, and demographic and other characteristics of the abused and their families.Design and Setting: Retrospective and descriptive study based on a review of medical records of CSA cases from 2000-2009 at Sulmaniya Medical Complex, the main secondary and tertiary medical care facility in Bahrain.Patients and Methods: The review included demographic data, child and family characteristics, manifestations and interventions.
Results: The 440 children diagnosed with CSA had a mean age of 8 years (range, 9 months to 17 years); 222 were males (50.5%) and 218 were females (49.5%).There was a steady increase in cases from 31 per year in 2000 to 77 cases in 2009.
Children disclosed abuse in 26% of cases, while health sector professionals recognized 53% of the cases.Genital touching and fondling (62.5%) were the most common form of CSA, followed by sodomy in 39%.Gonorrhea was documented in 2% of the cases and pregnancy in 4% of the females.
The illiteracy rate among the fathers and mothers was 9% and 12%, respectively, which is higher than the rate among the adult general population.Children came from all socio-economic classes.There was referral to police in 56%, public prosecution in 31% of the cases, but only 8% reached the court.Conclusion: During ten years Food Based Supplements there has been a 2.
5% increase in reported cases of CSA.Improving the skill of professionals in identifying CSA indicators and a mandatory reporting law might be needed to improve the rate of recognition and referral of CSA cases.Further general population-based surveys are needed to determine more accurately the scope of CSA and the risk and protective factors in the family and community.