Disclosure and help-seeking experiences of childhood sexual violence survivors in refugee settings of Ethiopia and Uganda

Disclosure and help-seeking are critical to mitigating the adverse health and social outcomes of sexual violence among survivors. However, evidence regarding these experiences remains scarce in refugee settings. This paper aims to examine disclosure and help-seeking experiences among survivors of childhood sexual violence in refugee settings across Ethiopia and Uganda.

This study used data from the Humanitarian Violence Against Children Surveys (HVACS) conducted in Ethiopia (2024) and Uganda (2022). Both surveys involved females and males aged 13–24 years living in refugee settings. It included 249 childhood sexual violence survivors from Ethiopia and 268 from Uganda, totaling 517 participants. Logistic regression identified factors associated with both disclosure and help-seeking experiences.

The study found that disclosure and help-seeking by survivors were low. Targeted awareness creation, disability-inclusive services, and empowerment of women and caregivers through education and community leadership are required.