Case analyses of adolescents who were sexually abused while being intoxicated

Abstract

South Africa is faced with a high rate of substance use and sexual abuse among both sexes of adolescents from a wide range of social backgrounds. So many cases have been reported in the Department of Social Development and Special Programmes in Port St Johns. This article shows that the patterns of alcohol use among South African adolescents is cause for concern. The use of substance by adolescents is associated with a range of negative consequences, including the risk of being sexual abused. Many adolescents from the areas surrounding Port St Johns use substances, and as a result they end up engaging in risky sexual activities. Older people take advantage of them, so that many of these adolescents become victims of sexual abuse. Some of them become school drop-outs. As a result, the following effects can develop in these adolescents. * Isolation * Self-blame * Embarrassment The aim of the study was to do case analysis in order to identify adolescents who were sexually abused while being intoxicated so that the social workers can construct empowering programmes to prevent the abuse of substances and also the sexual abuse of these adolescents. Data collection took place by means of case analysis of 15 adolescents. Documents of the adolescents from the case loads of social workers in the Department of Social Development and Special Programmes were used to gain a detailed picture of the themes emerging from adolescents who were sexually abused after the abuse of substances. The results indicated that many adolescents from the areas surrounding Port St Johns use substances and as a result they end up engaging in risky sexual activities. Older people take advantage of them while they are under the influence of a substance, and these adolescents become victims of sexual abuse.