Survivors of Sexual Abuse: Their Experiences, Challenges, and Coping Mechanisms

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Sexual abuse is one of the most prevalent abuses in the world today. As a critical phenomenon, the action of the authorities to address the issue is deemed to be quite significant. The study focused on the respondents' experiences, challenges, and coping mechanisms at the time that they were still in the government facility and when they were reintegrated with their family or guardian in the community.

METHODS

This study used the phenomenological approach that is particularly effective at bringing to the fore the experiences and perceptions of individuals from their own perspectives, and therefore at challenging structural or normative assumptions (Lester, 1999). There were 10 respondents in this study and the use of semi-structured in-depth interview served as the main material for this research. With this, a deeper and qualitative understanding of the phenomenon of survivors of sexual abuse was attained.

RESULTS

The respondents identified significant experiences inside the government shelter: grateful for the support provided, became trustee, developed positive affect, and acquired self-help and livelihood skills. The challenges they shared while inside the shelter are apprehensions, faced negative affect, hypocrisy and unfairness, adjustment and limitation, and the challenge to retract the case. The coping mechanisms exhibited are avoidance, having a positive relationship, faith in God, and involvement in a same-sex relationship.

When reintegrated with their family or guardian, the respondents experienced a mixed effect, lack of contentment, freedom, uncertainty, and poor self-concept. The challenges they faced are an adjustment, financial constraints, inability to pursue education, lacked a positive relationship, hypervigilance towards men, experienced apprehension with their perpetrator, and engagement in prostitution. The coping mechanisms that the respondents identified are faith in God, leaning on a support system, dreaming and striving to succeed, reframing one's perspective, exhibiting assertiveness and self-control, decisiveness to move on,and using employable skills to survive.

DISCUSSIONS

The respondents validated the benefits of being sheltered in the government facility for abuse victims. It is then assessed the importance of sustaining and strengthening their program. On the other hand, the role of respective family or guardian seems to be more important as they received back the respondents in the community for good, and the lives of the survivors are again in their hands.