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One in three girls and one in five boys have been or will be sexually abused before they reach 18 years. This is according to statistics compiled by Childline, an organisation that assists children who have experienced abuse. Tragically most cases of abuse go unreported. The full extent of statistics remains unrecorded.

"Stranger danger" misleading
According to the Child Protection Unit, the bulk of their case load is sexual abuse. Sexual abuse can take many different forms, including sexual molestation, rape and incest.

Snr Sup Anneke Pienaar, head of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit of the SAPS, says the number of sexual abuse cases reported has increased. This can, however, be attributed to the fact that people are more aware of abuse as a result of media coverage and public education campaigns.

According to Childline, the notion of "stranger danger" is misleading. People often think that children are only abused by strangers, but sometimes the person who abuses children is a friend of the parents or a family member.

They state that 85 to 90% of children who have been sexually abused know their perpetrator. The Teddy Bear Clinic, which treats children who have suffered abuse, states that 21% of children are abused by their biological father.

happens in families of every ethnic, social and economic background, according to Women Against Child Abuse. Incestuous acts can be physical, verbal, or emotional and can include sexual touching and fondling, oral, anal or vaginal penetration, having children pose undressed or perform in a sexual fashion on film or in person. It involves forcing, bribing, threatening or pressuring a child into sexual activity or awareness.

Law pertaining to incest should change
The law in South Africa does not include the full spectrum definition of incest that many other countries and states have embraced. In South Africa, it is restricted to "the intra-familial sexual abuse of children within the nucleus family".

They argue: "if we are to accurately define incest, we must not just look at the blood bond, but the emotional bond between victim and perpetrator. Parenting figures other than biological parents or blood relatives, such as caregivers, teachers and child minders should be included."

"Incest is much more than the transgression of a child’s body and soul, it is the absolute betrayal of their trust in the very people who are supposed to be their protectors and caretakers. While children suffer the sexual abuse, perhaps the most severe form of their abuse is their loyalty and love or their abusers.

"Children are frequently taught not to question authority and may believe that adults are always right. Perpetrators of sexual abuse know this and take advantage of these vulnerabilities in children." - (Ilse Pauw, Health24)

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