Challenges faced by professionals working in child sexual abuse multi-sectorial forums: A case of the victim-friendly system in Zimbabwe

Date

2018

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk,

Abstract

This article explores the challenges faced by social workers, medical doctors, nurses, police, magistrates, prosecutors, counsellors, teachers and psychologists working in the Victim-Friendly System (VFS). Studies from several countries show that child sexual abuse (CSA) is indeed an international problem (Lalor & McElvaney, 2010; Collin-Vezina, Daigneault & Hebert, 2013; Finkelhor, Stattluck, Turner & Hamby, 2014; Bhaskaran & Seshadri, 2016). Various scholars challenge the assumption that CSA is an exclusively Western problem (Jones & Jemmott, 2009; Sossou & Yogtiba, 2009; Zimbabwe National Statistical Agency, United Nations Children’s Fund and Collaborating Center; Lalor & McElvaney, 2010; Judical Service Commission 2012; Bhattacharya & Nair 2014 and Jones & Florek, 2015). In Zimbabwe, where this study was done, the National Baseline Survey on the life experiences of adolescents in Zimbabwe reported that almost one third of females and one in ten males aged between 18 and 24 years experienced sexual violence (Zimbabwe National Statistical Agency, United Nations Children’s Fund & Collaborating Center for Operational Research and Evaluation (2013). It is also estimated that more than 400,000 cases of CSA are reported every year in Zimbabwe (Médecins Sans Frontières, 2011). Jones and Jemmott (2009), Horner (2010), Lalor and McElvaney (2010) and Birdhstle, Floyd, Mwanasa, Nyangadza, Gwiza and Glynn (2011) show a correlation between CSA and many adverse medical, psychological, behavioural and socioeconomic outcomes, which can be short and long term in nature. CSA negatively affects the child and his/her ecological environment. Accordingly, the VFS was established to provide a community of medical, psychological, judicial and social services that mitigate the negative effects of CSA (Judicial Service Commission, 2012).

Description

Keywords

International Resources, Zimbabwe, social workers, child sexual abuse, advocacy, adverse outcomes

Citation

Muridzo, N., Chikadzi, V., & Kaseke, E. (2018). Challenges faced by professionals working in child sexual abuse multi-sectorial forums: A case of the victim-friendly system in Zimbabwe. Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 54(4), 452.

DOI