Child abuse up by 400% - book

2004-03-11 21:50

Marlene Malan

Cape Town - "To grow up in South Africa is dangerous. Our 10 years of democracy have given us a lot to be proud of, except for the way we look after our children."

Joan van Niekerk, national director of Childline, said assault of, and sexual violence against, children in South Africa had increased by as much as 400% in the past eight years.

The average age of victims had dropped drastically - from 12 to under seven years. Even the average age of sexual offenders had dropped to under 18 years.

Apart from that, brutality was more prevalent and gang rapes were on the increase.

Van Niekerk is one of 20 authors of the book, Sexual Abuse of Young Children in Southern Africa, which was released in Cape Town this week.

The book was compiled by Linda Richter, Andrew Dawes and Craig Higson-Smith and was sponsored by the Ford Foundation and the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).

It deals with, among other things, the causes of this trend, the way in which it is portrayed in the media, it analyses the legal and policy implications of the problem as well as actions to reduce sexual abuse.

Alcohol and drugs play a big role

Children who are exposed to these actions are often also victims of child pornography, child prostitution and serious assault.

Alcohol and drug abuse play a major role in most cases and most offenders are part of the household in which the child is raised, or live in their immediate vicinity.

Richter said: "One of the most-important causes is the strong conviction in the community that women are subservient to men. This enhances the risk of sexual dominance by men in the home, at school and in the community."

The commercial sexual exploitation of children and child trafficking are some of Southern Africa's biggest problems.

"One of the main causes for this is the extreme poverty that is compounded by HIV/Aids. Children can be exploited much easier in such circumstances."

Richter said the book was the first attempted in the country do collate research on the topic, treatment and policy direction.

Van Niekerk said policymakers, the media and society must stop being naïve about child abuse.

"The book is an attempt to break our innocence, just like the innocence of child victims is destroyed through sexual abuse."

Doctor Olive Shisana, executive director of research programmes at the HSRC, said it was necessary to cultivate a "type of activism" regarding child protection as well as "a philosophy that we will look after each other's children".

"If we don't do this, we achieve nothing."

- Die Burger