Sexual Abuse of Young Children in Southern Africa

496 Pages·2005·1.48 MB·English

by  Linda Richter

a
z
.
c
a
.
s
s
e
r
p
c
r
s
h
.
w
w
w

m
o
r
f

d
a
o
l
n
w
o
d

e
e
r
F
a
z
.
c
a
.
s
s
e
r
p
c
r
s
h
.
w
w
w

m
o
r
f

d
a
o
l
n
w
o
d

e
e
r
F
a
z
.
c
a
.
s
s
e
r
p
c
r
s
h
.
w
w
w

m
o
r
f

d
a
o
l
n
w
o
d

e
e
r
F
Edited by Linda Richter,
Andrew Dawes and
Craig Higson-Smith
a
z
.
c
a
.
s
s
e
r
p
c
r
s
h
.
w
w
w
Compiled by the Child,Youth and Family Development Research Programme,
m
Human Sciences Research Council
o
r
f Published by HSRC Press

d Private Bag X9182,Cape Town,8000,South Africa
a
o www.hsrcpublishers.ac.za
l
n
w © 2004 Human Sciences Research Council
o
d Funded by the Ford Foundation

ee First published 2004
r Second impression 2005
F
All rights reserved.No part ofthis book may be reprinted or reproduced or
utilised in any form or by any electronic,mechanical,or other means,including
photocopying and recording,or in any information storage or retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publishers.
ISBN 0 7969 2053 2
Cover by Amaal Bruwer
Production by comPress
Distributed in Africa by Blue Weaver Marketing and Distribution,
PO Box 30370,Tokai,Cape Town,1966,South Africa.
Tel:+27 [phone]
Fax:+27 [phone]
email:[email protected]
Distributed worldwide,except Africa,by Independent Publishers Group,
814 North Franklin Street,Chicago,IL 60610,USA.
www.ipgbook.com
Toorder,call toll-free:1-800-888-4741
All other enquiries,Tel:+1 [phone]
Fax:+1 [phone]
email:[email protected]
a
z
. Contents
c
a
.
s
s
e
r
p
c
r
s Foreword ix
h
. Graça Machel
w
w
w Notefrom the Ford Foundation xi
m Dr Gerry Salole
o
r
f Acknowledgements xiii

d
a
o Abbreviations xiv
l
n
w
o 1. Confronting the problem 1
d
Andrew Dawes,Linda Richter and Craig Higson-Smith
e
e
r
F Section I:Talking about child sexual abuse 19
2. The many kinds ofsexual abuse ofyoung children 21
Linda Richter and Craig Higson-Smith
3. Media representations ofbaby rape:the case of‘Baby Tshepang’ 36
William Bird and Nicola Spurr
Section II:Understanding child sexual abuse 53
4. Individual and contextual factors associated with the sexual abuse
ofchildren under 12:a review ofrecent literature 55
Loraine Townsend and Andrew Dawes
5. The socio-cultural context ofchild abuse:a betrayal oftrust 95
Mthobeli Guma and Nomvo Henda
6. Responses to gender-based violence in schools 110
Heather Brookes and Craig Higson-Smith
a
.z 7. Child sexual abuse and HIV infection 130
c
a Rachel Jewkes
.
s
s
re 8. Commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking ofchildren 143
p
c Craig Higson-Smith and Linda Richter
r
s
h
. 9. Measurement and monitoring 176
w
w Andrew Dawes,Jacqueline Borel-Saladin and Zareena Parker
w
m Section III:Legal and policy responses 207
o 10. Legal definitions and practices in child sexual abuse 209
r
f Jacqui Gallinetti

d
a
o 11. Challenges ofservice evaluation in the Wynberg and Cape Town
l
n Sexual Offences Courts and their related services 227
w
o Mastoera Sadan
d

e
e 12. Policy responses to child sexual abuse in South Africa 250
r
F Jackie Loffell
13. At the coalface:the Childline experience 263
Joan van Niekerk
14. Advocacy on behalfofsexually abused children:research and
policy issues arising from a case study 276
Deborah Ewing
15. The Report ofthe Parliamentary Task Group on the sexual abuse
ofchildren 2002:acommentary 304
Rose September
a
.z Section IV:Clinical and therapeutic responses 333
c
a 16. Access to specialist services and the criminal justice system:
.
ss data from the Teddy Bear Clinic 335
re Craig Higson-Smith,Luke Lamprecht and Lorna Jacklin
p
c
sr 17. Doing something:the initiation ofsexual abuse services in Soweto 356
h
. Chrissie Mkhasibe with René Brandt
w
w
w 18. Therapeutic approaches to sexually abused children 367
m Beverley Killian and Jonathan Brakarsh
o
r
f 19. Case studies ofchild sexual abuse in Zimbabwe 395

d Clare Rudd
a
o
l
n 20. Armed conflict and the sexual abuse ofchildren in Mozambique 411
w
o Boia Efraime Junior
d

e
e Section V:Reflections 427
r
F 21. Research on child sexual abuse:some problems and comments
(Nog’n klip in die bos) 429
Ann Levett
22. Are we any closer to solutions? 452
Linda Richter,Andrew Dawes and Craig Higson-Smith
Contributors 467
Index 473
a
z
.
c
a
.
s
s
e
r
p
c
r
s
h
.
w
w
w

m
o
r
f

d
a
o
l
n
w
o
d

e
e
r
F
a
z
. Foreword
c
a
.
s
s
e
r
p
c
r
s
h
.
w
w Recently the horror ofchild sexual abuse in southern Africa has been pushed
w tothe forefront ofpublic consciousness.

m
Itis impossible to describe the physical and emotional wounds that children
o
r who have been violated are left to deal with.Sexual abuse causes terrible pain
f
d at the time ofthe assault and can leave scars that linger on in children’s lives
a in a multitude of ways,threatening their physical and emotional well-being
o
nl and development,their sense ofself,their right to health and happiness.
w
o Some say that the incidence ofthis horrendous crime is increasing;others say
d that there is a higher rate ofreporting ofsuch abuse;yet others say that such

e
e crimes have been exploited by sensationalists. Whatever the strengths or
r
F weaknesses ofsuch arguments,surely it must be clear to us as adults,as par-
ents,as human beings – that while even one child suffers from this horror,that
is one child too many.And we all know that we are not dealing with only one
child or one isolated case.Our estimates may not always be accurate,but those
working in communities know the enormity ofthe problem.The incidence of
child sexual abuse in southern Africa is high enough to be seen as an assault,
a war upon our children.And in the African tradition that I have been a part
of,any assault on our children is an assault on ourselves – our integrity,our
families,our communities,indeed the very essence ofour humanity.
The ratification ofthe United Nations Convention on the Rights ofthe Child
marked an important step toward developing and implementing policies that
would protect children’s rights.Sexual abuse clearly constitutes a violation of
such rights,resulting in an obligation on the part ofthe state to ensure that
effective and appropriate steps are taken to address the problem. Yet this
responsibility ofthe state for action must encompass and be supported by our
individual responsibility and actions as well.
As adults,I believe we have a responsibility towards children.This respon-
sibility should motivate and mobilise us all – individuals,civil society,and
ix
THE SEXUAL ABUSE OF YOUNG CHILDREN IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

a
z
.
c
a
.
s
s
e
r
p
c
r
s
h
.
w
government – to obliterate the scourge ofchild sexual abuse from our region
w
w and beyond.Let us act together to show our love for our children – and let us
m do it now.
o Graça Machel
r
f
Foundation for Community Development
d
a
o
l
n
w
o
d

e
e
r
F
x