Females Psycho-Social Problems with Surviving Sexual Violence in Conflict- Affected Areas: In Case of Shewarobit Town.
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Date
2023-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to discover the females psycho-social problems with
surviving sexual violence in conflict-affected areas: in case of shareware town. To
achieve its objectives, the study used a qualitative research approach to gather, analyses,
and interpret data. As a result, the study included 11 sexual violence survivors for an in depth
interview. In addition, 3 key informants were used for key informant interviews, 1
from the woreda women and children's affairs, 1 from an NGO social worker, and 1 from
the health sector. The study used a phenomenological foundation to reveal whether
sexual victim girls experienced sexual violence, and have different meanings towards
sexual violence, DSM-5 to understand the specific psycho-social problems stated under
the specific objectives. The study also used humanistic theory to understand survivors'
feelings, actions, and self-image, following sexual violence, and cognitive theory to
understand survivors' thoughts and feelings. The study shows survival females who are
violated by sexual assault, are vulnerable to different psycho-social problems. It was also
found that because of the violence and the influence of society, survival females are
affected by depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, isolation, sleep
disturbance, loneliness, hopelessness, suicidal attempts, and other societal and family based
problems. The study, on the other hand, found the majority of the study
participants did not obtain the psychological, medical, social, and spiritual assistance
that they should have received to solve their difficulties. Even victims who received
medical assistance could not overcome their problem because they received assistance
only once. So government, religious institutions, and communities must
provide psychological, social, and spiritual support to survivors.
Keywords: Sexual violence, psycho social problems