article · Conflict and Health
Experiences of disclosing childhood sexual violence and seeking help were examined among young survivors living in refugee settings across Ethiopia and Uganda. Using survey data from 517 participants aged 13 to 24 years, the study found that disclosure and help-seeking rates were generally low, with notable differences between the two countries. In Ethiopia, over forty-one percent of survivors reported disclosing their experience, compared to under sixteen percent in Uganda. Help-seeking was reported by around twenty-eight percent in Ethiopia and just over four percent in Uganda. Across the settings, knowing where to access services significantly increased both disclosure and help-seeking. Living in a female-headed household also raised the likelihood of disclosure, whereas living with a disability reduced it. Lower educational attainment decreased help-seeking. Addressing these gaps requires targeted awareness initiatives, disability-inclusive support, and female empowerment.
Childhood sexual violence causes severe health and social harm, yet survivors in humanitarian contexts frequently encounter obstacles to reporting abuse and accessing care. Revealing that help-seeking remains exceptionally low, particularly among refugees with disabilities or limited schooling, informs humanitarian agencies working to design accessible services. Establishing targeted awareness initiatives and disability-inclusive interventions can help ensure vulnerable young refugees obtain vital medical, psychological, and social protection.
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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. We aimed 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. Disclosure experience was reported by 41·27% (95% CI: 28·69–55·11) in Ethiopia and 15·85% (95% CI: 9 · 17–26·03) in Uganda. Help-seeking was reported by 27.53% (95% CI: 19·07–37·98) in Ethiopia and 4·32% (95% CI: 1.49–11.91) in Uganda. Disclosure was positively associated with living in a female-headed household (aOR 3·38, 95% CI: 1·71–6·66) and knowing where to seek help (aOR 2·49, 95% CI: 1·42–4·36), whereas living with a disability was associated with lower odds of disclosure (aOR 0·34, 95% CI 0·15–0·76). Help-seeking was higher among those who knew where to get services (aOR 3·93, 95% CI: 1·73–8·90), but lower among those with primary education or less (aOR 0·31, 95% CI: 0·11–0·92). Disclosure and help-seeking by survivors were low. Targeted awareness creations, disability-inclusive services, and empowerment of women and caregivers through education and community leadership are required.
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DOI: 10.1186/s13031-026-00830-0
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