Society must save our girl child?
Silence and victimisation is fuelling the demeaning scourge of child rape which is sadly becoming a way of life in a sick society, writes RONELLE RAMSAMY
THE rate of sexual abuse and violence in South Africa is among the highest in the world.
More alarmingly, according to police children are the victims of 41% of all rapes reported in the country.
Zoom in on northern KZN’s most rural districts and the picture on the ground is inconceivable.
Latest statistics outlined in the uThungulu District quarterly HIV/Aids report this week showed that 695 cases of sexual assault against children aged 12 or below were recorded in the region in the last nine months of 2015.
Considering that these were only reported cases, and add to that victims over the age of 12, the real picture of sexual assault against the most vulnerable in the uThungulu District is reprehensible.
So where have we gone wrong as a society?
In the spirit of ‘ubuntu’, it takes a village to raise a child. That means our brothers, fathers, uncles, teachers, religious and community leaders all have a role to play in protecting our girls.
But this shielding role is eroding and infants are bearing the brunt of barbaric and shameful acts.
There is no justification for the gross violation of a girl child, be it substance abuse, poverty or unemployment.
A rape not only causes physical trauma for the child victim, but also leaves an emotional scar throughout their lives.
It is a further crime against the family fuelling revenge attacks and vigilantism when perpetrators escape the justice system.
More importantly, the link between rape and possible HIV/Aids infections is undeniable.
Studies have shown the rate of HIV among schoolgirls in South Africa is nearly three times higher than among schoolboys. The reason for the gap has been linked to ‘sugar daddies’ — with one in four high school girls contracting HIV through relationships with older men.
Mayday
However, when schoolgirls as young as 10 years of age are impregnated by exploitative older men because they needed taxi fare home or it was a known family member, it is mayday!
Yet, it is society’s silence that fuels this unthinkable scourge.
A rise in child prostitution has also risen amid the bleak financial outlook according to LifeLine Zululand.
When mothers turn a blind eye as grocery cupboards are filled by sugar daddies, we fail our girl child.
When infants are violated by our fathers, we should hang our heads in shame.
Have we now resorted to selling our children’s birthright for a bowl of porridge?
