Child violence ‘a huge problem’
A TOTAL of R235 billion is spent annually in South Africa to address violence against children.
This is according to Dr Shanaaz Matthews, the director of the UCT Children’s Institute. She was speaking at a dialogue about child violence. It is also Child Protection Week.
Matthews said child violence was a huge problem.
“Violence against children is costing us as a nation. Children who are exposed to violence have an increased risk of becoming perpetrators,” she said.
Premier Helen Zille said that in countries such as Japan and Singapore, “children are absolutely safe. There is almost no crime in these countries. In Malawi, which is poorer than us, crime against children is unheard of.
“When we walked through the streets of Mitchells Plain this week, we found kids playing in the streets. The grandmothers told us that the children could not play in the parks because the gangsters sell them drugs there.
“Twenty years ago I first heard about a child being raped, today it is occurring more.
“But we must build a culture of responsible parenting. No police or government can stop children being abused by a person who looks after them. There are also too many teenage pregnancies, and one of the main factors is child neglect. It is difficult for young parents,” Zille said. – Staff Reporter