Experiences of male adult survivors of child sexual abuse at, Ga- Matlala, Limpopo Province

Abstract

Survivors of child sexual abuse experience a lot but various challenges in their everyday lives. The overall aim of the study was to describe the experiences of male adult survivors of child sexual abuse at Ga-Matlala, Limpopo Province. The study objectives were to identify types of child sexual abuse cases at Ga- Matlala uperpetrated prior 1994; to determine how adult male survivors of child sexual abuse handle their life problems; to describe the social impact of child sexual abuse on male adult survivors; and to recommend appropriate professional intervention to male adult survivors of child sexual abuse. The study utilised descriptive research design. The data was collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews from three (3) survivors of child sexual abuse who were sexually abused prior 1994 who are residing at Ga-Matlala area. The sample consisted of survivors of child sexual abuse drawn from the database of Bakone Tribal Council compiled and administered pre 1994. A thematic analysis method was selected. Thematic analysis organises and describes data set in detail. The data was analysed in eight steps.Ethical considerations such as voluntary participation, permission to conduct the study, anonymity, confidentiality and no harm to respondents were considered.The researcher found that two survivors indicated to be having abilities to resolve their personal problems while one participant has indicated to be having problems in resolving his personal problems. All three survivors indicated to be engaged in an intimate relationships. All there survivors indicated to have had experienced child sexual abuse more than once and they also indicated to have had experienced more than one type of sexual abuse. Two participants out of three survivors had not reported of imitating what they experienced while one has adopted the lifestyle but he is not doing it with children like it was done to him. All survivors indicated to have forgiven their perpetrators. All of survivors indicated that their childhood experience had a negative impact in their childhood lives and it still has a negative influence in their adult life. All three survivors indicated to have not accessed professional assistance in their childhood even during their participation in the study they have not yet accessed professional intervention towards their past traumatic experience. However, all three survivors acknowledged the fact that post traumatic intervention is important to their personal growth with regard to finding closure, gaining confidence and finding coping strategies that will be helpful in facing their personal problems with an open mind and positivity of finding solutions without tracing their childhood past into it. The researcher concluded that all the participants of the study had experienced different kinds or types of child sexual abuse and it has negatively impacted them. Being involved in an intimate relationship was not difficult for the survivors as all of them were engaged in intimate relationships. All three survivors need to access professional help for them to overcome the impact of their past child sexual abuse experience. There is a huge difference/gap regarding the previous findings and the current findings mainly because most of the previous studies were European based than African Based (South Africa) and it was also showing a gap between European based Theories and African based theories when dealing with child sexual abuse. The main recommendation that the researcher had was to motivate the survivors to participate in the process of accessing professional help to enable them to deal with their current lives without tracing everything back to their childhood.