Lamenting the life of an African child under apartheid the Afrikaner poet Ingrid Jonker wrote: “The child is not dead, not at Langa nor Nyanga, nor Orlando, not at Sharpville, nor at police post at Philippi where he lies with a bullet through his brain, the child peers through the windows of the houses and into the hearts of mothers.”
This reality is as true as it was during the lifetime of the late Ingrid Jonker, only this time not at the hand of the an immoral regime, but due to the daily social ills experienced , whether rape, neglect, physical and emotional abuse. Everyone knows that children are a gift from God and therefore they should be cherished, cared for and protected at all times, but the bleak picture painted by news reports daily often tells are different story.
Clinical and research practice shows that far too many children are exposed to abuse, violence, and crime such as sex trade. This exposure invariably damages their mental and physical health. Violence against children occurs on a large scale and in a range of settings, at their homes, schools, churches, neighbourhoods, playgrounds etc. This then poses the question, where did we go wrong as a society, and what went wrong with the notion of Ubuntu where your child is my child? Does it means we cannot even trust those close to us?
The government continues to put systems in place in an attempt to eradicate the scourge, being arrests of perpetrators, awareness campaigns, but not a week goes by without waking up to sad stories that a child has been abused, particularly sexually, by someone known and trusted like father, uncle, brother or a close relatives. Even worse is the fact it is a crime often underreported, as the perpetrator is a breadwinner, or it will bring ignominy to the family if it comes out. What we need to take cognisance of is that this has the potential of a snowball effect of repeated offenders.
Over the years clinical and scientific research has proven that violence has many effects on children, which can be felt and seen many years later. “Abused children suffer from long-term mental, cognitive and social dysfunctions. Often, children who live through abuse grow up to become abusers themselves, creating a cycle of violence and abuse” (Siegel, 2011 in Holtzhausen, 2012). This in the long run can include;
– Children being prone to violence themselves
– Physical health problems such as brain development, injuries and fractures
– Difficulty in dealing with other people
– Being more likely to engage in drugs and having sex at an early age
From May 26 to June 1 the country will observe Child Protection Week. As an individual, what role did you play to ensure that a child is protected from any form of abuse?
What are the little things each one of us can do to contribute to the child safety?
– Take leisure time with your child everyday or every weekend.
– Check who the child associates with, are they good friends or have potential for bad influence?
– Open lines of communications between yourself and your children, so they easily communicate what makes them uncomfortable
Let’s all band together and reiterate what UNICEF has been preaching by taking a firm stand and say No to violence against children.
Child protection is an everyday affair, let us all strive to make a difference is a child’s life.
Busi Kheswa, Gauteng Community Safety
