MBOMBELA – It has been a week since the Sexual Offences Court passed a controversial sentence in the Barberton porn parents case.
Prior to their sentencing, reports were submitted to court reflecting the couple’s remorse and willingness to rehabilitate. Both were placed under correctional supervision for three years, and each received a suspended sentence. The man and woman, aged 40 and 37, will have to attend various rehabilitative programmes.
“It’s super disgusting… the way the parents treated their child, as well as the way that the courts handled this,” said Ianthé Viljoen on Lowvelder’s Facebook page.
“I can’t believe you can get a suspended sentence for scarring a child for life. Our country protects criminals more than victims (sic),” wrote Cecilia Joubert.
Local experts on child abuse, sexual offences and trauma gave their comments on the case.
Sakina Mohamed, CEO of GRIP (Greater Rape Intervention Program) expressed sadness and disappointment with what the parents had done to their child.
“They were clearly neglectful, and clearly not good people,”
Mohamed said that the justice system does not take crimes against women and children seriously.
Does Mohamed believe that the parents have turned their lives around for good?
“You are never too bad to become good,” she told Lowvelder. Given the interventions, she said that the benefit of the doubt should be given to the couple.
While the little girl was groomed and sexually abused, “it is possible that she did not fully understand what was happening to her,” said Nel. She offered further insight, stating,
“When child abuse happens, the child does not necessarily stop loving their parents. They just want the abuse to stop.”
Nel explained that as the girl gets older, she will be able to understand fully what happened to her. This will come with its own trauma. On the parents’ rehabilitation she said
“Insight and effort is needed to understand and facilitate a changed behavioural pattern.”
On the way forward for the couple and their child, Nel stressed that the court case’s outcome must be implemented in a way that ensures the breach of the child’s parents’ responsibility of care and protection is corrected. “Her best interests must be at the centre of all decisions taken about her future,” concluded Nel.
