DOI: https://doi.org/10.14710/southsight.202630751

How State and Non-State Actors Use and Respond to Technological Initiatives for Reporting and Management of Child Sexual Abuse in Selected Schools

*Ogbemudia Peter Michael orcid scopus  -  Elizade University, Nigeria
Odunayo Sawyerr orcid  -  Elizade University, Nigeria
Eniola Akinwumi  -  Elizade University, Nigeria
Received: 28 Dec 2025; Published: 30 Apr 2026.
Open Access Copyright (c) 2026 Ogbemudia Peter Michael, Odunayo Sawyerr, Eniola Akinwumi
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Abstract

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a problematic global issue, with Nigeria being no exception. Despite its widespread nature, CSA often remains inadequately reported due to sociocultural barriers and fear of stigmatisation. The integration of digital technology has emerged as a promising approach to reporting and managing child sexual abuse. This study investigates the potential of digital technology in managing CSA in public secondary schools in Ondo State, Nigeria, with a focus on the Ondo State Agency Against Gender-Based Violence (OSAA-GBV) Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) at School Campaign. Employing the in-depth interview to obtain data from school administrators in public secondary schools in Ondo State and key staff of the Ondo State Agency Against Gender-Based Violence (OSAA-GBV). The findings reveal that while a digital platform is available to facilitate reporting and management of CSA cases, its adoption is hindered by limited awareness, technology anxiety, infrastructural challenges, and reliance on manual (non-digital) reporting methods. The study suggest that technology can help organise critical data and improve response to CSA.

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Keywords: Child sexual abuse; digital technology; CSA management; CSA reporting; school campaigns

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Section: Research Article
Language : EN
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