Asking and telling in humanitarian contexts: A feasibility assessment of para-social worker-led screening for sexual violence against children in Uganda

The 2022 Uganda Humanitarian Violence Against Children and Youth Survey (HVACS) is the first representative study to estimate the prevalence of sexual, physical, and emotional violence against children and youth in humanitarian settlements.

This intervention study focuses on an adapted version of a school-based response and prevention model that involves having trained para-social workers (PSWs) screen primary school pupils for sexual violence and link survivors identified through this process to care. Situated in a refugee settlement in Uganda, the study finds that screening of this sort is feasible for PSWs to conduct, and effectively promotes sexual violence disclosure, in addition to enhancing the uptake of sexual violence services.