[Sexual abuse in children in Cameroon].

The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and socio-demographic features of child sexual abuse in an African setting. The files of 5082 children seen between August 1, 1992 and July 31, 1997 at the Center for Mother and Child Protection in Yaounde, Cameroon, were retrospectively reviewed. Sexual abuse was recognized in a cohort of 104 children of both sexes. The incidence of sexual abuse in the studied population was 2.05%. The victims were more often girls than boys: 95.2% vs 4.8%. Assault usually occurred during prepuberty (41.4%) and puberty (20.2%). However a non-negligible number of cases, all involving girls, occurred before the age of 10 years (29.8%). Assaults by women occurred but were uncommon (7.8%). Rape was the most frequent form of abuse (97.1%). About 25% of cases occurred within the family. These findings confirm the existence and incidence of child sexual abuse in an African setting and raise the taboo on the absolute phallocratic power of fathers and uncles over young girls and women in general. This study also provides new evidence of the vulnerability of women in Africa as a result of their traditional status in society.