School violence takes many forms
Kobus Botha, EC DA Shadow MEC for Social Development, recently spoke at the Eastern Cape Provincial Parliament about the need for a sexual harassment policy in schools. He addressed parliament in October. The Advertiser followed up by interviewing Botha in this regard.
Botha pointed out that violence in South African schools takes various forms, including threats, psychological abuse, theft, physical attacks, gang violence, corporal punishment, sexual violence and bullying. The most common forms of school violence in South Africa are physical violence, corporal punishment, bullying and sexual violence.
Sexual violence on the rise
He emphasised that sexual harassment and violence in schools create hostile environments, adversely affecting students’ learning, mental health and wellbeing. Sexual harassment, which can be verbal, nonverbal or physical, including sexual assault, is the leading cause of anxiety, psychological distress and depression among children.
In South Africa, incidents of sexual crimes and bullying are on the rise. Botha said that a significant number of girls suffer sexual abuse and harassment from both teachers and classmates, as well as violence while travelling to and from school - more than
452 cases of sexual misconduct have been reported to the South African Council for Educators. “Disturbingly, crime statistics from the previous year show that
294 reported rapes occurred at schools. In the Eastern Cape, the South African Council for Educators received 20 complaints in the previous financial year, all related to sexual misconduct by teachers involving students.”
Botha expressed grave concerns about this situation. According to the South African Council of Educators’ Code of Professional Ethics and the Department’s Basic Educators’ Employment of Educators Act, teachers are prohibited from having any sexual relationships with students. Schools are considered a child’s second home, and ensuring their safety and security is of the utmost importance. However, for some children, it has become a nightmare as they face sexual abuse from those who should protect and educate them. This continues to happen despite the Schools Act, which mandates a safe and secure learning environment.
Sexual violence by teachers
Impact of sexual misconduct by teachers is substantial. “Over the past five years, the Department of Basic Education has spent more than R10m on precautionary suspensions of educators involved in 346 cases of sexual misconduct,” said Botha. “This results in fewer teachers available for teaching, more students not learning, and a waste of taxpayer money. Nationally, the South African Council of Educators only initiated 23 disciplinary proceedings last year, addressing a mere 12% of reported cases of sexual misconduct.
Of those, 19 educators were found guilty, but only four were permanently removed from their positions.”
During this recent interview with Botha, he stressed that school violence creates an atmosphere of fear and anxiety, undermining the educational environment and preventing young people from fully benefitting from their educational opportunities. It can have physical, emotional, psycho-social and academic repercussions, leading to low self-esteem, social isolation and symptoms of depression among victims. Additionally, it increases the risk of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, and unwanted pregnancies.
Botha highlighted that some teachers abuse their authority to coerce students into having sexual relations with them in exchange for passing grades or progressing to the next grade. “This underscores that sexual violence is often committed by individuals in positions of power against those without power.