The constitution is clear on the rights, dignity and protection of children. Section 28 of the Bill of Rights aptly states that “every child has the right to be protected from maltreatment, neglect, abuse and degradation”. Nonetheless, every day, SA’s children experience violence in one form or another.
This abuse is extremely concerning and there is little support from government, particularly the Gauteng department of social development. This department has constantly failed to meet any of its targets to benefit children. For far too long, the DA has been constantly engaging with MECs to prioritise the needs of children, yet our pleas have fallen on deaf ears.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), an estimated one billion children suffer some form of violence each year. This figure translates into one out of two children worldwide. Violence against children is a global problem that cuts across race, class, educational status, income, ethnicity and origin. In addition, the impact of childhood violence is damaging and can have lasting health, social and economic effects for both survivors and society at large.
It is estimated that the value of the economic burden of violence against children in SA amounted to R173bn in 2015.
In a country already defined by the triple challenge of inequality, poverty and unemployment while facing societal issues such as gender-based violence (GBV) and violence against children, the plight of children in the face of violence, exploitation and abuse was further exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The pandemic compromised the safety of children together with their nutrition, health and education which was disrupted during the enforced lockdowns. During lockdowns, many South Africans were stuck at home with their abusers.
In 2016, the Optimus Study SA showed that one in every three children had experienced some form of physical or sexual abuse at some point in their lives, while one in eight had been neglected. A further study on sexual violence indicated that almost 10% of boys and 15% of girls between the ages of 15 and 17 years have experienced lifetime sexual victimisation.
Such victimisation was strongly associated with physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and family violence. The shocking number of teenage pregnancies is a reflection of the number of sexual offences perpetrated against children.
According to the 2021/2022 third quarter statistics released by the SA Police Service, 352 children were murdered in just 90 days while a further 394 survived attempted murder and 2,048 children were victims of physical assault. According to Unicef SA, this amounted to nearly four children killed each day. Alarmingly, in the 2019/2020 financial year, 943 children were murdered while there were 22,070 sexual offences.
What is equally disturbing is that much violence against children goes unreported. Young children often cannot report violence while older children often fear retaliation and further violence by their perpetrators. It does not help that often the perpetrator is known to the child.
Ending violence against children is a long-term mission that should involve multiple actors and concomitant strategies.
End Child Prostitution and Trafficking International has identified SA, along with Kenya, Senegal and Morocco, as emerging African hotspots for child sex tourism. More research needs to be done to document and understand the problem.
Statistics released by Missing Children SA indicate a child goes missing every five hours, with 23% never found. These children are often trafficked or found deceased.These were the last officially published statistics released by the SAPS, in 2013.
In another study in 2018, Dr Marcel van der Watt, human trafficking and organised crime expert, found a staggering 3,957 children were unaccounted for or still missing from the period 2000 to 2015.
As the country commemorated National Child Protection Week, it is in our hands to stop the cycle of neglect, abuse, violence and exploitation of children. Let us ensure that those responsible for these heinous crimes are not only reported but are convicted.
SA children experience disproportionally high levels of violence compared to global figures. It is high time that government responds with the urgency that this matter requires. SAPS should also come to the party in ensuring data is collected to understand the scope of the problem.
We should not be existing in an environment where children are afraid to be children. As citizens, we have both the moral obligation and the duty to report incidents of abuse and to protect our children. Turning a blind eye only exacerbates the situation.
• Nt’sekhe MPL, is DA Gauteng shadow MEC for social development
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