This module examines the realities of sexual abuse, allowing you to deepen your understanding of the problem. Lessons Incidence and Prevalence of Sexual Abuse. Additional Issues affecting Gambia/Gambians Myths and Facts about Sexual Abuse. Learning Objectives By the end of this module, you will be able to: - Correctly answer at least two questions about the incidence and prevalence of sexual abuse in the Gambia, - Discuss issues specific to Gambian survivors and identify at least one factor contributing to the under-reporting of rape. - List at least two myths and two facts about sexual abuse.

1. Basic Sexual Abuse
Advocate/Counselor Training
Realities of Sexual Abuse

2. “Rape”, “Sexual Abuse”, Molestation?
The legal definitions of rape, and sexual abuse vary by country. In the Gambia, the definition
Can be found under Section 3 of the Sexual Office Act of 2011
In this training, “rape” and “sexual abuse” will be used interchangeably to refer to any
nonconsensual contact between two or more people, involving the sexual organs of one
person or more, regardless of gender, age or marital status, with or without penetration,
and with or without resulting physical injury. It may involve vaginal, oral, or anal contact.
Molestation will be used to refer to all other forms of abuse of sexual nature including
sexual harassment
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3. “Victim” or “survivor”
“Victim” “Victim” typically used at the early impact and mainly by medical, police and legal
members of the support team while the term
“Survivor” is used for the later part of recovery but really, this can mean different things to
each individual.
As advocates, our role is not to name but try to access what stage our client may be at and
Support them in where they want to be
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4. Q: How many people report to law enforcement being forcibly raped in the The Gambia in
a given year?
A: Unknown. No research to answer this question for incidences in the Gambia yet
Q: For every person who is raped and reports her rape to law enforcement, what is the
estimate of the number who are raped and do not report their rapes to law enforcement?
A: Unknown. No research to answer this question for incidences in the Gambia yet
Q: When a victim knows her assailant, is she more or less likely to report the rape
to the police?
A: Less likely due to self-blame and fear that her friends and family will blame her
and less likely if drugs and alcohol are involved
Q: What is the number one reason victims given for not wanting to report rape?
A: No research to answer this question for incidences in the Gambia yet. What are your
thoughts?
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5. Additional Issues Specific to Gambia
•Sex Tourism
•Poverty
•Sugar Daddy Syndrome
•Culture of “Sutura”
•Small, open community – most people know each other
•What else can you think of as additional issues “unique” to Gambia? .............
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6. Rape & Molestation Around The World
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7. Myths and Facts About Rape
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8. Myth: Adult rape is most often perpetrated by a stranger.
Fact: A woman is statistically more likely to be raped by someone she knows
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9. Myth: If there was no penetration by a penis, then there was no rape.
Fact: Legal definitions of rape vary by country. For the purposes of this training, rape is
defined as penetration with a penis, fingers and/or foreign objects, or unwanted touching
of the sexual body parts without penetration.
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10. Myth: Women cannot be raped by their husbands or partners.
Fact: Women are raped by their husbands or partners. Rape is often used as a tool of
control, especially if the husband batters his wife or feels he is entitled to sexual intercourse
despite his wife’s wants or needs.
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11. Myth: Prostitutes cannot be raped.
Fact: Prostitutes can be and often are raped by their customers who solicit sex from them
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12. Myth: Strangers represent the greatest threat to children.
Fact: In child abuse cases, often, a perpetrator will spend time “grooming” the child and
his or her family by doing favors and providing assistance emotionally and physically.
This is done to win the family’s trust, which makes it harder for them to believe the child
and decreases suspicion of the perpetrator.
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13. Myth: Only young women are abused.
Fact: Elderly women can be and are raped. Because of such myths, elderly women often
do not come forward when they are sexually abused. There is a high level of shame and
fear that they have lost the ability to care for themselves. In addition, the perpetrator
could be someone who comes into her home to provide care for the woman, and she
may be afraid for her life or that her care will be taken away.
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14. Myth: Rape cannot happen in same-gender relationships.
Fact: Rape can occur in same-gender relationships as well as in heterosexual relationships.
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15. Myth: Men cannot be raped.
Fact: Although men are less likely to report because of societal pressures, men can be and
are raped by other men and by women.
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16. Myth: If a woman goes out with a man, goes home with him, or wears skimpy clothing, it is
her fault if she is raped.
Fact: It is never her fault. No one asks or deserves to be raped. Rape is a violent attack and
a crime in which the perpetrator controls the victim.
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17. Myth: Children make up stories or lie about being sexually abused.
Fact: Children rarely lie about being abused since they do not have the explicit knowledge
about intimate relationships. If a child tells someone they are being abused it should be
taken very seriously.
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18. Myth: Children are sexual beings and want to be touched intimately
Fact: Whilst children experience ‘nice’ feelings when they are touched gently on most parts
of their bodies, they do not understand or elicit touching that is designed to sexually excite
adults or older children. Sexual feelings are not understood by young children
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19. Myth: Child abuse is most often committed by strangers
Fact: The danger to children is mostly from people close to them, people they should be
able to trust and who are known to their care givers / parents. Of course, it is important
to tell children not to talk to strangers or get into other people’s cars because the lone
paedophile will always be looking for an opportunity but the more common danger is
at home.
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20. Myth: Boys who are abused will become abusers when they grow up
Fact: This is a myth perpetuated by abusers who have been caught and who are looking
for an excuse for their behaviour and a shorter sentence. It is very unusual for abused
boys to become abusers.
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21. Myth: If a child doesn’t scream or tell anyone, it means they are encouraging the abuse
Fact: Abusers go to great lengths to ensure secrecy and compliance from their victims – it
is called grooming and this can go on for years before the actual abuse takes place. This is
done by befriending the child, luring the child into trusting them, giving them treats,
telling them how special they are. When the child is abused it is then very confusing for
the victim not to believe that they caused the abuse and of course these feelings may be
exploited by the abuser who will agree that it was the child’s fault that they could not leave
them alone. Abusers may also use threats and intimidation to ensure secrecy
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22. Myth: Children don’t remember what happened to them when they were younger and so it
doesn’t affect them
Fact: Children may not remember every single detail of their abuse but they will usually
remember with great clarity the fear and the dread around that person. It is these feelings
that linger in their consciousness or sub conscience which cause difficulties when they are
older. ‘Triggers’ reminding them of a certain event when they were children often occurs
when they are older. This jolts them back into reliving these events which feel very much
as if they are happening now.
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23. Myth: Children hate their abusers
Fact: When the abuser is a close relative, it is very confusing for a child who yearns for the
closeness and protection of the abuser but loathes the sexual acts being perpetrated upon
them. This dichotomy is difficult for abused children to understand.
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24. Myth: Children who are abused are damaged forever
Fact: Children have to be very strong to have survived sexual abuse and with the right
specialist help they can live happy and contented lives .
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25. Myth: Parents or Care givers should have known their children were being abused.
Fact: Perpetrators have had a lot of practice at deceiving parents and care givers into
believing that they are really ‘nice’ guys. This is very confusing for abused children who
cannot understand that their parents are friendly with the abuser resulting in them feeling
that they will not be believed
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26. Myth: It is the fault of young girls who look much older than their age and encourage older
men to abuse them
Fact: It is never the fault of young people or children that they are abused. Again this is a
myth perpetuated by abusers who don’t want to go to prison!
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