[Epidemioclinical and legal aspects of sexual abuse among minors in Monastir, Tunisia].

Journal: The Pan African medical journal

Volume: 38

Issue: 

Year of Publication: 2021

Affiliated Institutions:  Service de Psychiatrie, Hôpital Universitaire Tahar Sfar, Mahdia, Tunisie. Service de Psychiatrie, Hôpital Universitaire Fattouma Bourguiba, Monastir, Tunisie.

Abstract summary 

Child sexual abuse is a disturbing reality and a major public health problem. Indeed, it is a subject that has long been treated as taboo, with dramatic consequences on physical and mental health as well as on social wellbeing of the victims. The purpose of this study was to highlight the epidemiological and clinical features as well as the legal aspects of child sexual abuse.we conducted a retrospective descriptive study at the psychiatric outpatient service of the University Hospital of Monastir over a period of 12 years and 6 months. All children younger than 18 years diagnosed with suspected or confirmed sexual assault were included.a total of 93 children, victims of sexual abuse were enrolled. The average age of patients was 10 years, with a standard deviation of 3.9 years. Sex-ratio M/F was 0.9. The most common sexual contact was touching (47,3% of cases). The majority of abusers were male (93,5%). In more than half of the cases (53,8%) they were relatives of the child and in 28% of cases intra-familial abuse was reported. Initial psychiatric assessment showed mental disorders in 70% of cases.sexual abuse is a very broad field of violence which varies widely in nature and intensity. Although, in some types of sexual abuse occasionally there is a lack of physical traces, the emotional and psychological impact is ubiquitous and characterized by numerous clinical manifestations.

Authors & Co-authors:  Soussia Rim Ben RB Omezzine Rim Gniwa RG Bouali Walid W Zemzem Mouna M Bouslah Sarra S Zarrouk Lazhar L Gaha Lotfi L

Study Outcome 

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Statistics
Citations :  Marceline Gabel. Les enfants victimes d'abus sexuels. Presses universitaire de France. 1992.
Authors :  7
Identifiers
Doi : 105
SSN : 1937-8688
Study Population
Male
Mesh Terms
Adolescent
Other Terms
Sexual abuse;children;legal action
Study Design
Descriptive Study,Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Country of Study
Tunisia
Publication Country
Uganda