An expert says there are a number of signs and symptoms that can help people identify if a child is possibly a victim of rape.
Teddy Bear Clinic clinical director Dr Shaheda Omar said: “Never look at symptoms in isolation. You don't just look at one symptom and come to a foregone conclusion that child has been sexually assaulted or has experienced sexual abuse. We have to look for a cluster of symptoms.”
Omar said there are emotional, psychological and behavioural indicators.
“Emotionally what you would see is a child who is usually socially engaging and talkative and lively then suddenly becomes withdrawn and no longer engages with other people and does not talk. The child will retreat and move to the corner of the room or another room and refuses to participate in activities and with people they have in the past,” she said.
Here are some of the psychological and behavioural changes to look out for:
- Aggressive behaviour that is out of character;
- Child is impulsive;
- Grades drop and they no longer participate in extra curricular activities, but some children start to excel because this gives them a sense of control;
- The child becomes a bully;
- The child starts lying and being deceptive;
- If the child starts to show sexualised behaviour that is age inappropriate;
- Depression, anxiety, eating and sleeping disorders;
- Dressing inappropriately, for example wearing jerseys and layers of clothing in the heat because they want to cover up the “shame”; and
- Suicide, attempted suicide, self-mutilation and substance abuse.
Omar said if you suspect a child has been raped or sexually assaulted, then they must immediately be taken for a medical evaluation where a doctor will fill out a J88 form.
She said if you are not legally able to take the child for a medical evaluation then you are legally bound by the Children's Act to report the matter to the police, social workers or the child's school.
“Even if it is not true, you acted in good faith and a precedent has been set in law to ensure that [you are protected]," she said.
She said the biggest challenge in getting convictions is that children's evidence is viewed with caution.
“They are not often seen as competent and credible witnesses, so the way to overcome that is to make sure that once a criminal case has been opened and a child has made a statement, then the child should receive court preparation to enable them to distinguish between a truth and a lie... to also familiarise them with the court and the process,” said Omar.
She said one in nine child rape cases are reported and only one in eight are convicted.
National police spokesperson Brig Vish Naidoo said every police station is under instruction to take rape cases seriously by the family violence, child protection and sexual offences unit.
“We have a very strict policy forbidding our police from treating any victim of gender-based violence badly or any person for that matter. It is considered to be a gross derelict of duty and our members and we can institute departmental action against them. A victim who feels they haven't got the desired treatment, we encourage them to escalate the matter,” he said.
Naidoo said every station has readily available for public use the number of the station commander and visible policing commander.
He said the numbers can also be found on the SAPS website for all station commanders and management of the police station, the district office and the provincial office.
Naidoo said depending on the case some victims are able to go back home because the perpetrator is removed from the house by being arrested and then released with bail conditions to stay away from the home.
He said if this is not an option then the victim is taken to a place of safety by the department of social development.
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