COMMENT: Society must protect children all the time Sexually abuse

WE are alarmed by reports indicating that relatives were perpetrators in most cases of sexual violence that were recorded in Matabeleland South with 62 percent of them occurring within the home set up.

The home should be a safe haven for children and, sadly, more cases of abuse are being perpetrated by those who should protect children.

While the statistics are restricted to Matabeleland South, the trend is the same in all parts of the country which speaks to an urgent need to stop protecting relatives at the expense of abused children.

WE are alarmed by reports indicating that relatives were perpetrators in most cases of sexual violence that were recorded in Matabeleland South with 62 percent of them occurring within the home set up.

Abuse at the hands of trusted individuals like family and friends has far-reaching psychological implications on children according to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), an organisation in the United States created to raise the standard of care and increase access to services for children and families who experience or witness traumatic events.

“When children are abused by adults who are supposed to protect them from harm, their ability to trust and rely on adults may be shattered. Knowing that the abuser is liked — or even loved — by other family members makes it all the more difficult for children to tell others about the abuse,” says the organisation.

“Children who have been abused by a family member are more likely to blame themselves for the abuse than those who are abused by someone outside the family unit. This is particularly true of older children, who may be all too aware of the effect that disclosing the abuse will have on other family members.”

Criminals are criminals whether or not they are friends or relatives and should be reported to the police when they commit any form of crime including sexual abuse.

It is only when perpetrators are arrested, prosecuted and locked up that the scourge of sexual abuse can be contained and in the long run eradicated.

Presenting a report during a provincial child protection committee meeting in Gwanda on Monday, Inspector Dorcas Ngwenya from the Matabeleland South Victim Friendly Unit (VFU) said children below the age of 16 years continue to be the most targeted victims in sexual offences.

Sexual offences increased by 12 percent during the third quarter of this year as compared to the same period in 2021 while domestic violence cases increased by 30 percent.

“Relatives of victims were perpetrators in 31 percent of cases. These relatives include fathers, uncles, brothers and cousins.
“Neighbours accounted for 30 percent while strangers accounted for 17 percent and others whose relationship with survivors is not known accounted for 20 percent of the offences. 62 percent of the cases occurred at home, 23 percent occurred in the bushes, five percent occurred when children were coming from school while 10 percent of the cases were recorded in other places,” she said.

“The home set-up was previously known as a place of safety for children but these statistics show that homes are no longer a place for comfort and safety. Sexual offences increased by 12 percent during the third quarter this year as compared to the same period in 2021 while domestic violence cases increased by 30 percent.”

She said a victim analysis of sexual offences showed that children aged five years and below accounted for eight percent of the cases. Those aged six to 17 years accounted for 68 percent. Adults aged 18 years and above accounted for 20 percent of the cases.

It is only when perpetrators are arrested, prosecuted and locked up that the scourge of sexual abuse can be contained and in the long run eradicated.

Insp Ngwenya said children below the age of 16 years continue to be the most targeted victims of sexual offences. She said in adult cases, women as old as 90 years have fallen victim to sexual abuse.

Insp Ngwenya said men aged between 18 to 25 years are the perpetrators of most sexual offences.
“Males aged between 13 and 17 years were perpetrators in six percent of the sexual offences. Those aged between 18 and 25 years contributed 25 percent while those aged between 26 to 30 years contributed 10 percent of the cases.

“Those aged 31 to 39 contributed 13 percent while those above 40 years old contributed 13 percent while the ages of other perpetrators are not known,” she said.

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