30 Alex children are abused weekly
ALEXANDRA - A children's organisation is inundated with cases of child abuse raising concerns of their safety when in the presence of those supposed to protect them.
A children’s organisation is inundated with cases of child abuse, raising concerns for their safety when in the presence of those supposed to protect them.
This was said by the Victim Empowerment Unit of Kidz Clinic when revealing that they handled about six cases of child abuse daily and 30 cases weekly.
Social worker, Asanda Mabusela said this indicates a community failing to practice the African values of ubuntu by caring for children from an early age when they are vulnerable, impressionable and trusting of the people who end up abusing them.
She said the abuses were sexual, emotional and physical.
Sexual abuse, she said, involved grooming children to gain their trust so that they don’t report the perpetrators, then moving on to fondling of breasts and private parts, and rape. She said children with disabilities were easy targets as they are presumed unlikely to report the abuser, or know the difference between right or wrong. “Others… [use] gifts to gain their trust over time before they too are abused,” said Mabusela.
She said some of the abused sustained severe injuries requiring surgery, while others suffered long-term deformities.
Physical abuse often occurs at home and in school, and causes serious physical injuries, as children’s bodies are fragile, she said. It confuses the children and leaves them scared of the perpetrators who the children expect protection from.
The other is emotional abuse by demeaning, denigrating, name calling, threats and denial of support normally expected by children from parents, guardians and the elderly.
Mabusela said the abuse resulted in children needing medical treatment, therapy and counselling to heal physical and psychological wounds in order to restore their emotional stability to enable them to cope at home and in school.
“Their symptoms include behaviour change, withdrawal… isolation and loss of self esteem,” she said.
“If the experiences of abuse are not tackled, they often are carried into adult life… resulting in children becoming criminals or just dysfunctional beings.”
Mabusela attributed some of the causes of abuse to alcohol and unemployment.
“Alcohol desensitises people from being responsible; and unemployment creates boredom and lust… resulting in rape and… [taking out their] frustrations on anyone, especially children,” she said.
She added that some people still believed in the myth of curing HIV by sleeping with virgin children, which also contributed to sexual abuse.
She urged parents to accommodate, listen more and integrate children’s views when engaging in problem solving. “In this way, you will gain their trust, detect possible abuse and [you can] report the abusers,” she said.
Details: Victim Empowerment Unit, Kidz Clinic 011 321 7616.
