The socio-psychological problems and coping strategies of sexually abused adolescent girls in Can Tho City, Vietnam

• Main Author: Nguyen, Phuoc Tho (Lucy)
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2004
• Subjects: Coping behavior; Sexually abused teenagers; Life skills
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/3161
• Institution: De La Salle University

This thematic analysis determines the emotional problems encountered by sexually abused adolescent girls who are residing at a center for street children in Can Tho City Vietnam. Six (6) respondents with ages ranging from 13 to 18 years who have experienced some form of sexual abuse were selected to participate in this study. One-on-one in depth interviews were conducted with the six (6) respondents. Qualitative data were gathered based on their narrations, responses to the interview guide questions, information shared by social workers in the center where the girls were abused and existing documents. The findings of the study are: There is a chain that links the experience of being abused with psychological distress and coping strategies. Physical effects are associated with a broad range of emotional problems. As seen in the results, the more frequent abuse occurred, the more severe was the girl's psychological distress. Similarly, those who reported having suffered more physical effects of abuse were also likely to suffer more severe emotions. On the other hand, the coping strategies depended on the stressful situation of the victims. The more the respondents felt depressed the more aggressive behaviors were resorted to in order to cope with their traumatic experiences. The result also showed that the respondents also suffered psychologically due to the loss of their virginity. The Vietnamese culture highly values a woman's virginity so that if a girl is abused or raped, it brings same to the whole family. The girl also loses her opportunity to marry because of the perception that no decent male would marry a victim of rape or sexual abuse. The victim cannot look forward to a bright future. The researcher suggests an intervention program that could be introduced in the center to assist the victims in their recovery.