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Thandeka Moyo, Health Reporter
CHILDREN aged between zero and 14 years are dominant victims of sexual abuse in Bulawayo with only 26 percent of them having managed to access post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), a report has revealed.

PEP is an emergency medication that must be taken within 72 hours after being potentially exposed to HIV to prevent infection.

According to the statistics from the National Aids Council in Bulawayo, about 182 cases of sexual abuse were reported in the third quarter of 2018.

Of those cases, 101 were recorded from girls aged between 5 and 14 while 21 girls aged below five were also sexually abused.

The statistics also show that seven boys aged from one to nine experienced sexual abuse.

Nac said two of the survivors tested HIV positive after the sexual assault and only 46 of the total were given PEP.

“We recorded a total of 182 sexual abuse cases in Bulawayo and 26 percent of those are receiving PEP. However, the worrying trend is that most of these cases were reported among girls aged between zero and 14 though we have a number of boys who also suffered,” read the statistics.

A total of 19 women aged from 20-49 and one man were also abused during the period under review.

Bulawayo police recently expressed concern over the upsurge in cases of juveniles being raped by relatives averaging at more than 10 a week.

They said most parents of the victims try to conceal the abuse and as such the bulk of reported cases were coming from school authorities after victims confide in friends or teachers.

Bulawayo acting police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube urged parents and guardians to promptly report sexual abuse cases to the police even in cases where relatives are the culprits.

He said attempting to conceal a rape case was tantamount to trying to defeat the course of justice.

“Police in Bulawayo have noted with concern the increase in rape cases involving juveniles. We are receiving about 14 cases of rape a week and most of them are of juveniles raped by relatives. Sadly parents are concealing most of the cases especially if they involve a relative or their lovers. In so doing they are violating a section of the Child Protection and Adoption Act.

“As police we’re worried about cases of sexual abuse and we’re appealing to members of the public to help combat the crime. We’re disappointed that we’ve individuals who still believe that juvenile sex cures certain ailments. Juveniles are being raped by close relatives such as uncles, cousins, their mothers’ lovers and tenants,” said Insp Ncube. — @thamamoe