Child abuse ‘under-reported’

Stuck with their violators at home, youngsters are unable to notify authorities, studies indicate

AS CHILD Protection Week drew to a close, Save the Children SA (SCSA) said that 2 300 complaints of gender-based violence had been reported to the SAPS since the start of lockdown in March.

However, it is not clear how many were for child abuse.

“This could be an indication that children are not able to report abuse, because they are stuck with their abusers at home due to the lockdown.

“Several studies have previously shown that children are mostly abused by people known to them, 55% of children have been physically abused by caregivers, educators or relatives.

“And 58% of parents use physical punishment, of which 33% use a belt or stick,” said the SCSA’s child protection programme manager Duduzile Skhosana.

Between March and mid-May, the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital recorded 124 cases of neglect, violence and abuse of children at the facility.

Onesimo Valashiya, 11, is one such child. His 29-year-old mom works at a fast food restaurant in the CBD. She works different shifts and this often means he is bounced from one neighbour to the next.

Onesimo is in Grade 6 at a school not too far from his home and said he misses school more now that his mother has had to go back to work.

Being an only child and sharing a two-room shack with his mom, Onesimo often fears “the big bad wolf”.

Speaking to Weekend Argus earlier this week, the young boy shared stories of a close-knit community.

“At school they often talk to us about child abuse, kidnapping, violence against women and all those things. My mom also talks to me about telling her if someone ever tries anything bad.

“I know there are some bad people out there and she also says it could be anyone. They don’t always look scary and mean,” he said.

Charnè Davidson, 13, and her friends from Mitchells Plain have started a “mini baby sitting club”.

“We are big enough to look after ourselves. Yes, we are still young but it is best we stick together as a large group,” she said.

The six girls rotate from one home to another, while keeping each other company and safe from harm.

“There is a lot of violence and gangsters in the area. Also very dangerous men who rape young girls so we thought we should stick together and stay safe in our homes.”

In 2017, a nine-day search for Courtney Peters, who was left in her brother’s care while their parents went to work, ended in the 3-year-old’s body being found buried in a shallow grave not too far from her home. She had been raped and murdered by a family friend and tenant Mortimer Saunders, who is serving two life sentences.

In a statement to mark Child Protection Week, Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital spokesperson, Dwayne Evans urged locals to “take a hard stand for the vulnerable in our society”.

“We call on everyone who witnesses or suspects child neglect, and or violence against children, to please step forward and report the cases.

“The Constitution of South

Africa has made children’s rights a priority”.

The hospital and Western Cape government welcome the appointment of the Children’s Commissioner for the Western Cape, Christina Nomdo.

Her role is to give children a voice, and to explore how they experience poverty, crime and neglect, among others, and how these experiences impact children.

According to the UN Populations Fund, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency, gender-based violence is the most prevalent violation in the world. It has escalated over the years.