Prevalence and Social Risk Factors of Sexual Abuse Among Children Aged 8–17 in Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study

Child sexual abuse (CSA) remains a critical concern, particularly in middle- and low-income countries where it is disproportionately high. Only a few studies on CSA in Ghana have used nationally representative data. This study examined the national prevalence, perpetrators, children’s reactions, and social risk factors of CSA in Ghana. We used secondary data from the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection involving 522 children aged 8–17. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the risk factors of CSA. Findings show that 23.9% of children experienced sexual abuse. Adults (56.8%) were the primary perpetrators of CSA. The major emotional responses among victims were feeling depressed (35.2%), ashamed/hurt (22.4%), and scared (20.0%). Female victims reported disproportionately higher psychological and emotional trauma than male victims. Interestingly, 13.6% of victims reported experiencing sexual pleasure during the incident. Risk factors included sex, ecological zone, and religion. These findings underscore the complexity of CSA and the importance of context-specific interventions. Future studies should examine both positive and negative perceptions of victims’ experiences to better understand the diverse impacts of CSA and inform interventions.