THESIS CHAPTER 1 ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IS ADVERSELY AFFECTED IN FEMALE CHILDREN WHO EXPERIENCED SEXUAL ABUSE

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IS ADVERSELY AFFECTED IN

FEMALE CHILDREN WHO EXPERIENCED SEXUAL ABUSE

 

 

 

CHAPTER 1

 

INTRODUCTION

Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is a known phenomenon throughout the world. Children considered innocent and pure are violated of their rights and are left suffering the scars of such abominable act.

 

Recognized by the medical profession in 1961 as the “battered – child syndrome”,¹ child sexual abuse (CSA) brings tremendous consequences in the life of a victim which she carries even her adult life. Studies of adults show that 15% to 38% of women report experiences of various types of sexual victimization during childhood and adolescence.²

 

The society is faced with a sad scenario of children and young adolescent females who are victimized by sexual abuse in its different farms such as rape, seduction and abduction, lascivious conduct, molestation, incest, corruption of minor and child prostitution. And these acts are aggravated by its commission of the victim’s father, brother or relative.

 

¹ Information Please AZMANAC.    Child Abuse and Neglect, 48th Edition Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston and New York. 1995. p. 437

² Information Please  AZMANAC. Loc. cit.

 

The tremendous consequences brought about by child sexual abuse (CSA) are manifested in the physical and psycho social effects in the victim who has to survive them as a child, a young adolescent and later as an adult in life.

 

The physical manifestations include unwanted teenage pregnancy, dropping out of school, substance abuse and criminal behavior. While psychosocial effects are withdrawal, excessive daydreaming, fear of adults, relationship difficulties with parents and peers for children. And extensive depression, fear and anxiety, dissociative systems, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicide-behavior, relationship difficulties, sexual dysfunction and increased risk of subsequent victimization for adolescents and adults.³ As can he noted child sexual abuse (CSA) has a wide-range effect on the victim and each factor distinct but connected with the others as a whole.

 

Teenage pregnancy which is one of the effects has become common nowadays but is not always welcome sight, most especially when teenagers are expected to be in school studying and experiencing the things of youth and not motherhood in such an early stage in life. A lot of reasons can be attributed for teenage pregnancy but as an outcome of sexual abuse makes it a more sensitive matter both for the victim and society.

 

³ Alan Booth and Judith F. Dunn, Family – School Links: How Do They Affect Educational Outcomes? Lawrence Erlbaum, Mahwah, New Jersey. 1996 p. 360.361

 

It becomes inevitable for a teenage victim who is having an unwanted pregnancy to drop out of school in order to prevent our self from further shame and embarrassment. Parents would also automatically resort to such measure to protect the family reputation. Although other reasons may be responsible for a teenager’s dropping out of school, drop out rates have matched already the increasing cases every year of female sexual abuse.⁴ As such, one can infer on the possible effects of these factors to the academic achievement of the child. And while it is true that others are able to cope and survive, still such an abuse has a causal relation to the academic achievement of a female victim.

 

Although focus is on teenage pregnancy and dropping out of school and their impact on the victim’s academic achievement, this study will attempt to show the connection of all factors comprising the effects of child sexual abuse and their relation to the academic achievement of female children.

 

THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

This study is anchored on the sociological and psychological theory of behavior in the field of child sexual abuse.

The Sociological Theory⁵ believes that a person’s relationship with other people, his disposition and inclination to achieve in life is affected by external and internal factors in the society to which he belongs.

 

⁴ Ibid, chapter 14

⁵ Booth and Dunn, op.cit.,

 

The Psychological Theory⁶ on the other hand believes that a person’s behavior is influenced by the interplay of social factors and his own personal experiences in life.

This study will investigate and take a closer look at the effects of child sexual abuse and their relation to the academic achievement of the victim. It will establish a connection of teenage pregnancy and the dropping out of school with the low academic achievement of female children who experienced sexual abuse.

The researcher would like to give emphasis on the two factors as they are the direct consequences in the life of a teenager who is supposed to be doing well in school but is forced to give up such right because of untoward incidents in her life.

The paradigm of the study will show the individual and the whole composition of the effects of child sexual abuse and their relation and influence on the academic achievement of female children.

 

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

This study will specifically answer the following questions:

1. What are the factors involved in child sexual abuse that influence the academic achievement of female children?
2. What are the effects of such factors on the academic achievement of female children?
3. Is there a significant relationship of all factors involved with the academic achievement of female children?

 

⁶ Loc. cit.

 

HYPOTHESIS OF THE STUDY

This study will test the hypothesis that there is a significant relationship of the factors involved in child sexual abuse and the academic achievement of female children.

 

SCOPE AND DELIMITATION

This study will be limited to the physical and psychosocial effects as factors of child sexual abuse with emphasis on teenage pregnancy and dropping out of school in relation to the academic achievement of the female children. This study is also limited to female child sexual abuse.

 

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will aim to inform on the significant relationship of all the factors involved in child sexual abuse. It will present the different physical and psychosocial factors with emphasis on teenage pregnancy and school drop out as it affects the academic achievement of female children.

 

DEFINITION OF TERMS

The following are defined both theoretically and operationally for a clearer understanding of the study.

Children. It refers to persons below eighteen (18) years of age. Thos who are unable to fully take care of themselves or protect themselves from above, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of a physical or mental disability or condition.⁷

Child Sexual Abuse (SCA). It refers and includes the employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of a child to engage in or assist another person to engage in sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct or the molestation, prostitution, or incest with children.⁸

Rape. The act of forming a person to submit unwillingly to sexual intercourse.⁹ It also refers to forcing a chi9ld to submit to sexual intercourse.

Seduction. It refers to the act of persuading a person to commit some wrong deed, especially, sexual intercourse.¹⁰

Abduction. It refers to the taking of a person against her will and with lewd designs.¹¹

Lascivious conduct. It refers to the malicious and intentional touching either directly or through clothing of the sensitive parts of the body of a person.

Incest. It refers to sexual intercourse between persons so closely related that marriage is prohibited.¹² The act committed by a father, brother or relative of a female child in sexual abuse.

⁷ Dominador A. Buhain, Revised Penal code of the Philippines Revised Edition (Philippines: Rex Editorial Staff, 1999) p. 239

⁸ ibid., p. 257

⁹ William Collins, Collins Gem English Dictionary 5^th Edition(Great Britain: Collins Sons & Co. Ltd., 1901) p. 436

¹⁰ ibid., p. 477

¹¹ Buhain, op.cit.169

¹² Bernard D. Lipsitz, Legal Dictionary (Great Britain: Ottenheimer Publisher Inc., 1968) p.86

 

Corruption of Minor. The act of any person who shall promote or facilitate the prostitution or corruption of persons underage to satisfy the lust of another.¹³

Child Prostitution. This refers to childr4n, whether male or female, who for money, profit, or any other consideration or due to the coercion or influence of any adult, syndicate or group, indulge in sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct and are considered children exploited in prostitution and other sexual abuse.¹⁴

Academic Achievement. This refers to the extent of academic attainment of a person.¹⁵

 

INTEGRATIVE SUMMARY ON THE TOPIC

This study attempted to investigate the comparative effects of the different factors as an outcome of child sexual abuse.

The factors are manifested in the physical and psychosocial effects child sexual abuse which included teenage pregnancy, dropping out of school, substance abuse and criminal behavior, withdrawal, excessive day dreaming, fear of adults, relationship difficulties with parents and peers, extensive depression, fear and anxiety, dissociative systems, post traumatic stress disorder, suicide-behavior, sexual dysfunction and increased risk of subsequent victimization. Emphasis is on teenage pregnancy and the subsequent dropping out of school. The study is involved only with child sexual abuse in female children and has also included. The

 

¹³ Buahin, loc.cit

¹⁴ ibid., p. 241

¹⁵ Noah Webster. New International Dictionary 3^rd ed. (New York: C. Meriam company, 1963)

 

different forms in which child sexual abuse can be committed against female

children. It has focused on the effects of child sexual abuse on the academic achievement of female children only. The study has also endeavored to establish the connection of all the factors and its effect on the academic achievement of a child-victim.

Specifically, the study will find answers to the following question:

1. What are the factors involved in child sexual abuse that influence the academic achievement of female children?
2. What are the effects of such factors on the academic achievement of female children?
3. Is there a significant relationship of all factors involved with the academic achievement of female children?

As a whole, the study would like to present the corresponding interplay of all factors involved in the existence of a child sexual abuse and its impact on the low academic achievement of female children who are victims of child sexual abuse. 

PARADIGM OF THE STUDY

 

 

 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

Booth, Alan and Dunn, Judith F.,  Family School Links: How do They Affect 

                 Educational Outcomes?, Lawrence Erlbawm, Mahwah, New Jersey,

                 1996.

Buahin, Dominador A., Revised Penal Code of the Philippines Revised Edition,

                   Philippines, Rex Editorial Staff, 1999.

Collins, William. Collins Gem English Dictionary 5^th Edition, Great Britain, Collins

                   Sons & Co. Ltd., 1902.

Lipsitz, Bernard D., Legal Dictionary. Great Britain, Ottenheimer Publishers, Inc.,

                   1968

Webster, Noah, New International Dictionary 3^rd ed., New York. C. Meriam

                  Company, 1963

Information Please ALMANAC. Child Abuse and Neglect 48^th edition,  Boston and

      New York, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1995.