Clergy-Perpetrated Sexual Abuse in Ghana: A Media Content Analysis of Survivors, Offenders, and Offence Characteristics

Abstract

While there are no official data and published studies on clergy-perpetrated sexual abuse (CPSA) from Ghana, local media reports continue to show worrying trends of the phenomenon. We drew on 73 media reports from January 2000 to March 2019, to describe the offence characteristics and profiles of the perpetrators and survivors of CPSA in Ghana. The findings showed females aged 10–19 as predominant survivors. The perpetrators were all males found guilty of lone rape, incest, defilement, indecent assault, sodomy, attempted rape, or gang rape. A preventive measure could involve streamlining the recruitment, training, and leadership structures of the church.

Child sexual abuse in Ghana: A multi‐methods exploratory study

“…It has also been observed that the vulnerable state of females, children and young adolescents in society makes them a target, particularly for perpetrators of sexual abuse (Wrigley-Asante et al, 2016). We also found that the majority of the survivors of CSA were young adolescents, which confirms results from other studies that young adolescents are more likely to be sexually abused than other age groups (Markwei & Osei-Hwedie, 2019;Priebe & Svedin, 2009;Quarshie et al, 2022).…”

“…We observed with worry the involvement of teachers (11.8%) and religious leaders (4.3%) as perpetrators, which also confirms previous evidence (e.g. Knoll, 2010;Magwa & Nigara, 2015;Quarshie et al, 2022). Teachers are role models and mentors to children and young people, and their position is a respectable one as it exudes a lot of trust and social power and influence (Magwa & Nigara, 2015).…”

“…Perhaps, some religious leaders and teachers are more likely to sexually abuse followers and students and they capitalised on the trust reposed in them by their unsuspecting young victims. While some teachers have been found to target pupils in poverty situation and trade in sexual favours (Magwa & Nigara, 2015;Quarshie, 2021), some religious leaders, particularly in Christian and Muslim congregations have been found to capitalise on the vulnerability of their members presenting with health, social, economic, emotional and spiritual needs and abuse their members (Chowdhury et al, 2022;Quarshie et al, 2022).…”

“…In Ghana, routinely collected reliable national-level data on the prevalence of CSA is unavailable (Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection [MOGCSP], and UNICEF, 2015), even though evidence from anecdotal sources suggests that CSA is recognised as a problem of major public concern (Quarshie et al, 2017(Quarshie et al, , 2018(Quarshie et al, , 2022. The latest household survey across 10 regions of Ghana by MOGCSP and UNICEF (2014) estimates the 1-month prevalence of CSA to range between 14% and 55%, with more girls than boys being victims.…”

An Ecclesial Analysis of Child Sexual Abuse in Ghana: implications for Pastoral Response

“…It was reported that there were 73 media reports of child sexual abuse in Ghana from March 2000 to March 2019 involving the clergy. 34 One study examined some epidemiological characteristics of perpetrators and victims of incest in contemporary Ghana through the analysis of media reports of incest from 2008 to 2015. It was observed that 6.3% of the perpetrators were pastors.…”