Cape Town - Child protection organisations have said that child-on-child sexual assault was indicative of “moral degeneration and pinpoints rape culture within society”, but also voiced that both child victims and child perpetrators had to receive counselling to facilitate healing.
This comes after a 14-year-old boy was arrested for the alleged sexual assault of a seven-year-old girl in the Southern Cape at the weekend.
Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie said: “On Wednesday, 10 August, the seven-year-old victim informed her mother that she was violated by a 14-year-old suspect in the bushes near Hercules Street, in Conville, George. The suspect, who is known to the victim, was pointed out and arrested. He had been assessed already and released in parental care pending further investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.”
Director of Molo Songololo, Patric Solomons, said similar incidents were usually “not addressed, suppressed or ignored by family members”.
“Most cases of child-on-child rape/sexual assault do not get reported. These incidents, which happen among children known to each other, or among siblings or family members, are usually not addressed, suppressed or ignored by family members and carers, especially involving children under 10, or even under 14 years of age. Very few of these cases get reported to police.
“Childhood sexuality is usually ignored, suppressed or shamed.
“Not acknowledging that children are sexual beings denies them their right to appropriate sexual information, prevention and protection; and develop healthy sexual awareness, understanding and development. Children act out what they see and hear. They act out sexual behaviour they are exposed to. Parents are usually ill-equipped to inform, educate and talk to their children about sex. Child victims and child perpetrators must receive counselling and therapeutic services as soon as possible, that can facilitate healing and recovery... and ensure that offenders do not re-offend,” said Solomons.
Attorney at Centre for Child Law, Stanley Malematja, said the incident was indicative of a “stained social fabric”.
“Most heart-breaking is that children are not spared from the misery. It is also an indication of the urgent need to protect children against any form of harm, danger or abuse.
“Section 28(2) of the Constitution provides that ‘a child’s best interest are of paramount importance in every matter concerning the child’. This right extends to criminal matters. Furthermore, the Child Justice Act provides for a criminal justice system for children, which includes methods and procedures on to deal with a child alleged to have committed an offence…In the decision to prosecute a child alleged to have committed an offence, some of the factors to consider are education level, the domestic environment of the child, cognitive ability, nature and seriousness of the offence, the impact of the offence on the victim and the interests of the community. The Centre for Child Law is of the view that the legal processes in place do not need changes,” said Malematja.
Spokesperson for anti-GBV organisation, Ilitha Labantu, Siya Monakale said they were concerned about the “spike in incidents of rape” in the province.
“Particularly when it is child-on-child rape/sexual assault, it is a sad state of affairs as it is indicative of the moral degeneration taking place in our society, and serves as a reminder of the prevalence of rape culture. With all the processes in place, the issue of restorative justice is still at play and it becomes a matter of concern of how then is it possible that we are building a society where a child can rape another child. We have a problem when it comes to the learned behaviour of children in that there is a prevalence of rape culture within society.”
Cape Times