Read Lesley's Blog
January 2010 - Information just in from one of our partners
We have been working, for over 3 years now, with the wonderful and highly specialist Teddy Bear Clinic for Abused Children in Johannesburg supporting their successful therapy programmes and providing essential funding for the travel of children who have been severely abused.
As part of the reports we require they have just sent me some fascinating insights into their work.
The Teddy Bear Clinic works in only one province in South Africa – Gauteng [encompassing Johannesburg, Soweto and Pretoria] – and only in part of that province; other information from around the country suggests that what is happening here is a reflection of what is going on everywhere ….
What they find: -
- In 2009 a total of 1,929 new cases of serious abuse were reported to them – that equates to 48 children every day across the country, children who are so badly injured they are taken to a centre for help … what happens to all the rest who don’t get treatment or are too far away from any specialist service?
- 69% of these damaged children are little ones who have been sexually abused
- 72% of these children are black, 18% are white, 7% are mixed race and 3% other.
- 77% of these children are girls and 23% are boys.
It all adds up to a terrible state of affairs – and this is just one of the totally amazing services that we can’t afford to support this year.
Help us to keep these children healthy, happy and protected from harm.