The experiences of child abuse can stay with survivors for a long time. Child abuse can adversely affect the development of the personality of the survivor and their ability to regulate their emotions, which can lead to self-destructive and impulsive behaviour, such as repeated self-harm or recurrent suicide attempts.

Adults who have buried their history of child abuse can continue to suffer in ways that can include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorders, substance misuse, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, anger, guilt, learning disabilities, physical illness, disturbing memories and dissociation. One particular issue is the challenge of forming and keeping adult relationships.

Recent research has suggested that the lifetime onset of psychiatric disorders is attributable to adverse childhood experiences in nearly a third of cases.

We speak to Uganda based mental health worker, Ronah Namatovu, Phinah Kodisang, Chief Executive Officer of Soul City Institute and Rutendo Matinyarare, who was abused as a child. He talks about how that experience later affected and altered his sexual behaviour.