Trauma of victims of Parktown Boys’ High coach ‘could be lifelong sentence’

Human rights bodies yesterday celebrated the sentencing of former Parktown Boys’ High School sports coach Collan Rex to prison for 23 years, but that does not mean the battle is over for his victims.

In September Rex, a former water polo assistant coach at the Johannesburg school, was found guilty by the High Court in Johannesburg on 144 sexual assault and 12 common assault counts involving several schoolboys between the ages of 13 and 16.

The court also acquitted him on more than 140 other counts, including attempted murder, rape, sexual grooming and exposing minors to pornography, due to a lack of evidence.

Yesterday the court, sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court, handed down the 23 years imprisonment after experiencing a minor delay, which postponed the sentencing since Tuesday.

Clinical psychologist Ruth Ancer said although the case was over, that would not bring complete closure to the trauma the schoolboys had experienced during the prolonged case.

Ancer said while support – from family and friends or professional assistance – would help a great deal, in some cases dealing with trauma could be a lifelong sentence.

“It is common that the boys in this case would experience secondary trauma, as they would have to revisit their experience and go through cross-examinations where holes would be picked out of their version of events,” she said.

“It would be incredibly humiliating, especially for young teenage boys who’d feel exposed despite identity protection. So it is good that the case is over now but it doesn’t mean the trauma has ended too.”

Miranda Jordan of Women and Men Against Child Abuse said they were pleased that the judge had acknowledged the seriousness of the offences and hoped the judgment brought the victims closer to their healing.

Jordan added: “We welcome this strong message to warn child abusers, especially in a position of trust that society will no longer enable them.

“The issues around toxic masculinity and disclosure for male victims in such cases can now start taking desperately-needed and overdue leaps forward.”

Rees Mann of SA Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse also shared his organisation’s pleasure with the judgment but said there was still work to be done.

He also said: “Collan Rex’s sentence of 23 years might be the end of the criminal case but the victims will have to face the consequences of the sexual abuse for years to come.

“Institutional culture and its code of silence creates the environment and enables predators to prey on children. Boys-only schools need to urgently put policies and procedures in place to ensure nothing like this happens again.”

The Gauteng department of education also welcomed the ruling, with MEC Panyaza Lesufi saying: “We wish to thank the entire school population including all pupils, teachers, parents and all officials for an excellent job of providing a watertight case in ensuring that justice prevailed.

“We also extend our gratitude to the law enforcement agencies, including the police and the prosecution team for their tireless efforts of securing an appropriate judgment,” said Lesufi.

– jenniffero@citizen.co.za

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