‘Sexual violence cases not reported’ – Schools becoming haven for teachers to molest pupils

Schools are rapidly becoming a haven for teachers to molest pupils, with the number of cases rising sharply from 92 in 2019-20, to 169 in 2020- 21, and 191 in 2021-22, according to Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga.

These are only the cases reported, however, and the number could be far higher, social worker Dr Ilna Kruger says.

Schools ‘life-threatening’

Meant to be a safe space for pupils, teachers and staff, experts say South African schools have not only become life-threatening, but treacherous to children’s physical, mental and emotional health.

Education facilities, including primary and secondary schools, daycare facilities, special schools and tertiary institutions, have become a ground for rapists and criminals, according to Kruger.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is concerned that, of the 191 cases of sexual misconduct reported to the South African Council for Educators (Sace) in 2021-22, only 23 disciplinary proceedings were instituted and only four teachers were struck off the roll.

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The DA’s shadow deputy minister of basic education Desiree van der Walt said the number of cases of sexual misconduct reported to the Sace had risen dramatically from 2019-20 to 2020-21.

“Nineteen teachers were found guilty of sexual misconduct, yet only four were struck off the roll indefinitely,” Van der Walt said.

Kruger said not only had the teachers in question failed the pupils, but the education and justice systems had as well, “because how can it be that teachers found guilty of sexually abusing their pupils are allowed to return to their classrooms to continue teaching”?

“One of the biggest obstacles to finding solutions to the problem is many sexual violence cases are not reported, but if perpetrators go unpunished and can continue to abuse pupils with impunity, why would anyone risk speaking out?

“While we must protect the fair trial rights of accused rapists, we must also not lose sight of the rights of present and future victims of their conduct.”

She said these issues had proven to affect pupil dropouts due to fear of going to school and “having your perpetrator hovering over you”, or even pupils acting out and becoming “unruly because some are further victimised”.

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“But imagine a classmate has spoken out and the teacher isn’t punished and is still free to teach the same school.

“What does that mean for that pupil and others who have been abused? It means irreparable, preventable harm. It means that a rapist who has been shown beyond reason-able doubt to sexually abuse pupils in the school environment is allowed to return to that exact environment and is given the opportunity to commit exactly the same crime against exactly the same vulnerable group.”

Pupils not cooperating with Sace

According to the DA, Sace stated that some cases had been closed due to a lack of evidence to substantiate the allegations, deliberate unavailability of complainants to assist with the investigation and disciplinary proceedings and witnesses refusing to cooperate with the council.

“The complainants’ reluctance to cooperate with Sace in investigating and disciplining their alleged abusers indicates a perceived bias against the victims of abuse,” Van der Walt noted.

Gender-based violence activist and parent Hloni Mokwena said teachers were second parents and guardians to pupils and that “even without conviction, if a teacher is accused of raping a pupil on school grounds, he should be removed from the school environment with a sense of urgency.

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“We cannot have those kinds of people on schools grounds. That should’ve been their first instinct, as a department, council and even teachers, that should be your first instinct,” she said.

“In a country where 16 days of activism is celebrated, we are far too quiet about such things. Teachers who rape their pupils are innocent until proven guilty, but only if and when they are proven guilty, they cannot continue to be treated as though they are innocent.”

– reitumetsem@citizen.co.za