THE father who stands accused of raping his seven-year-old daughter pleaded guilty to rape in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court on Friday 5 September.
He is due in court again soon, where the court will announce the date of his sentencing.
The 29-year-old mother of the girl, who cannot be named to protect the identity of her daughter, said her daughter has had her ups and downs in recent weeks.
“It’s tough. She has her ups and downs. She gets really bad mood swings, but at least I know what sparks it now. Before I knew what was going on, I couldn’t understand why she had such mood swings.
“She told me her father had been sexually abusing her for more than a year. No child deserves to go through this,” she said.
When asked how she’s coping, the mother said, “I can’t think about myself right now. I can only think about my daughter and the rest of my family. My mother has been very supportive, both emotionally and financially. Friends have also been wonderful and have donated food, clothes and whatever else we need.”
She said she’s trying to stay strong for the sake of her family, but added it was difficult at times. “When I’m alone, I think a lot and I can’t sleep. But a very close friend, who we rent our house from, has been very supportive and has put up with a lot of my crying,” she said.
The girl is the oldest of two siblings was taken to RK Khan Hospital on Saturday 9 August where the district surgeon confirmed the sexual trauma.
