The effect of psychosocial support on sexually abused children with disability

Child sexual abuse has been addressed in Bangladesh since the early 1990s.Sexual abuse of children with disabilities, today, is an under-reported phenomenon due to the inability of victims to report, lack of awareness of direct service providers to recognise and understand the meaning of signs of sexual abuse, and due to their reluctance to comply with mandated laws and responsibilities. In a 2012 study the World Health Organization (WHO) found that worldwide children with disabilities are almost three times more likely to be sexually abused than non-disabled peers. The study also found that children with cognitive or mental health disabilities are nearly five times more likely to suffer such abuse. Another study was conducted jointly by the Bangladesh Protibondhi Foundation (BPF) and Save the Children Sweden-Denmark in 2010. The results of this study showed that half of all the disabled children in Bangladesh are sexually abused, mostly by close relatives. Psychological approaches to helping children in Bangladesh recover from sexual abuse have emerged in the last few years. However, Bangladesh Protibondhi Foundation has set up counseling units as psychosocial support and have tried to provide full recognition of the holistic approach required to address child sexual abuse with adequate training, standards and protocols necessary to produce healing environments and effective interventions in support of the child. Child sexual abuse has been addressed in Bangladesh since the early 1990s. Sexual abuse of children with disabilities, today, is an under reported phenomenon due to the inability of victims to report, lack of awareness of direct service providers to recognise and understand the meaning of signs of sexual abuse, and due to their reluctance to comply with mandated reporter laws and responsibilities.