In Cape Town, activists diligently tracking rape statistics have unveiled a chilling reality: each day, five women and girls fall victim to rape in the Western Cape. Between January and April of this year, a staggering 1 909 cases were reported to the police.
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Among these distressing incidents, one stands out for its sheer horror: a teenage girl allegedly endured sexual abuse by her assailant, who reportedly tattooed his name onto her private parts before subjecting her to further violence by inserting a deodorant bottle into it. To safeguard the privacy and dignity of this 16-year-old victim, her identity will be refrained.
This appalling attack occurred on 23 April 2024, perpetrated by a 37-year-old man who, shockingly, was on parole at the time and remains at large. Minister of Police Bheki Cele’s release of third-quarter crime statistics in February revealed another troubling aspect: 4 783 suspects were arrested for sexual offenses including rape and attempted rape.
Zona Morton, a courageous whistle-blower and crime activist, shed light on a disturbing trend where victims under the age of 10 are specifically targeted by predators, highlighting the urgent need for action to address this alarming pattern.
‘The scourge of rapes against children under the age 10, is bordering on a pandemic,’ she said.
‘At least five children are raped in the province daily. A specific case of a teenage girl who was kidnapped and raped repeatedly for 10 months whilst the serial rapist tattooed his name on her genitals and he also violated her with a deodorant cannister.
‘This violator of children has a guilty conviction in 2007 and 2013 against his name.
‘Why was he enabled to rape and torture another minor in less than 14 years since his first reported rape?
‘As a human rights defender, I am horrified that this perpetrator is now not accounted for.’
Christina Nomdo, the Western Cape Commissioner for Children, remarked that impoverished households, where abuse and social problems thrive, are significant contributors to the alarming statistics. She expressed sorrow over the prevalence of violence in the childhoods of many South Africans, including those in the Western Cape.
‘Addressing this issue requires targeted interventions that address underlying factors such as poverty, inequality and the resultant negative forces that disrupt childhoods.
‘The Children’s Commissioner consistently emphasises the need for collective and individual responsibility in turning the tide on violence.
‘However, the Commissioner is not the front-line service provider to address violence against children.
‘The front-line services, like police and the child protection system at the Department of Social Development must do their jobs well to respond when children are violated.
‘Activists should hold communities and front-line services to account to do the best they can.’
The Department of Social Development emphasised that addressing gender-based violence is a top priority for their personnel.
‘A Provincial GBV Implementation Plan was adopted by the Western Cape Cabinet in 2021 and an inter-departmental task team appointed to lead its implementation, including the establishment of six new shelters for victims of GBV (all of which can also accommodate members of the LGBTQIA+ community),’ DSD said.
‘A total of 25 GBV shelters are now funded by the province.
‘Since 2019, over 21 000 people per year have received psychosocial support from Thuthuzela Care Centres and DSD-supported GBV shelters.
‘A total of nine Thuthuzela Centres are operational across the Western Cape, with the centre at Victoria Hospital expanded, and the expansion of the Stellenbosch centre under way.’
Felicity Roland, who is an activist and rape survivor, said victims often failed to report cases to police due to the lack of training from officers.
‘We heard about a police officer who allegedly raped a woman who was attending the academy,’ she said.
‘He was supposed to be her tutor and he locked the door and he allegedly raped her.
‘She was questioned as a victim, why she took a few days before she laid a charge against him. ‘How can we ask such questions to a rape survivor?’
‘It is very hard for a victim to make a case, you are going through trauma and you need to build up the courage.
‘When you open a case it is like you are being raped again because there is not all the resources and staff who know how to work with these victims.
‘We hope the system will change because once a perpetrator is arrested, he is freed again due to a lack of evidence.’
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