Perceptions around sexual exploitation and abuse and barriers to community-based reporting

Highlights

The objective of this study was to provide evidence to support the development of appropriate, safe and usable community-based reporting mechanisms for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) cases in Equateur Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The study sought to explore community understandings and perceptions around the concepts of SEA as well as barriers to reporting SEA cases through existing mechanisms within humanitarian organisations.

This study was conducted at the request of the UNICEF Gender, Protection and Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) joint mission conducted in November 2020 in Mbandaka, the aim of which was to develop an action plan for the operationalisation of prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) strategies within UNICEF. The results of the study are intended to be used to adapt and improve the proposed activities in this plan.