Why abuse isn’t reported

According to a report by the Optimus Foundation on sexual victimisation of children in South Africa, victims often fear intimidation by their alleged perpetrators and critical failures in the criminal justice and health systems add to the issue.

“It is evident that the fear of and familiarity [or lack thereof] with perpetrators has a large role to play in whether young people report a sexual offence,” according to the report.

“The impact of victims’ fears of, and intimidation by, perpetrators in sexual offences literature is extensive. So are findings relating to the lack of ongoing communication by criminal justice personnel with victims during sexual offences investigation and prosecution processes.”

Ample research shows that in South Africa, there are critical failures of the criminal justice and health systems in addressing sexual offences, the report states.

“Some have examined the experiences of rape survivors, while others have examined the deficits of the criminal justice process through attrition studies and the legal challenges of the law.

“These studies reiterate, through various methods and points of departure, the critical gaps in service provision for those who have experienced sexual abuse and report these incidences to the police. What is certain is that many of those who have reported being victims of sexual abuse have not found justice within a system that is differentiated in terms of access, quality of service, level of skill and commitment.” – Citizen reporter