Introduction. This study aims to shed light on the psychological impact of child sexual abuse. Patients and Methods. We conducted a descriptive and prospective study on a sample of 94 child victims of sexual abuse, examined at the Department of Forensic Medicine at Annaba University Hospital. Results. The sex ratio was 0.6, and the mean age was 11.71 ± 4.46 years. Approximately one-third of the children (31.9%) were under the age of 9. In 48% of cases, the abuse led to a forensic consultation within 72 hours. Following the forensic examination, a psychological consultation was systematically proposed and accepted in 70.2% of cases. Psychological impacts and reactions were observed in 69.7% of cases, including cognitive disorders, anxiety-depressive symptoms, and behavioral or conduct disorders. In contrast, 21.2% of the victims showed no psychological impact, and in 9.1% of cases, the psychological status could not be assessed. Conclusion We emphasize that integrating psychological support within a comprehensive, multidisciplinary care framework can significantly reduce the long-term post-traumatic consequences of sexual abuse and foster the victim’s recovery. This approach requires the establishment of dedicated care and support units for victims of sexual abuse, where psychologists, psychiatrists, gynecologists, forensic specialists, and laboratory teams can work in close collaboration.
ZERAIRIA et al. (Mon,) studied this question.