A Scoping Review on the Psychosocial Effects of Sexual Abuse on the Girl Child in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Child sexual abuse has become a global phenomenon. The statistics of sexual abuse of a girl child by relatives and/or other people known to the girl child are shocking. Various factors predispose a girl child to be susceptible to sexual abuse. As a result, the purpose of this study was to review the existing literature on the psychosocial effects of sexual abuse on a girl child. The study used a scoping review guided by PRISMA-ScR guidelines. African Journals Online, Sabinet African Journals, EBSCOHost, PubMed, and ScienceDirect were used in the study to compile papers that were assessed for their coverage of the psychosocial impacts of child sexual abuse on girls between 2012 and 2023. The collected data was narratively analysed using thematic analysis. The study revealed that child sexual abuse has an impact on the mental health of the girl child which leads to their behavioural change. It further revealed that children are afraid to disclose sexual abuse as they fear secondary victimisation in the community. It was recommended that community awareness and education be organised to equip community members about the impact of stigmatisation on victims, and appropriate ways must be created to respond to the disclosure of sexual abuse. This study contributes to the academic field of child psychology and social work by offering a comprehensive analysis of the psychosocial impacts of child sexual abuse on girls in Sub-Saharan Africa, identifying gaps in current literature, and providing evidence-based recommendations for community and policy-level interventions. Its findings underscore the critical need for gender- and age-specific research and interventions to mitigate the profound effects of sexual abuse on vulnerable populations. Keywords: Effects, Girl Child, Psychosocial, Sexual Abuse, Scoping Review