What on earth is going on?

Background to our work

In South Africa violence, poverty, death and illness are still, unfortunately, widespread. Here the most vulnerable in society are most at risk. Following considerable research and innumerable visits to South Africa since 2004, and against the background and history of violence and tensions in townships and the rural areas, and the migration of peoples from other African countries, we now have tried and tested programmes with our partners to ensure your donations are spent in a way that really helps children and enables sustainable change in communities.

Why such abuse?

The abuse of small children is a horrendous act and although it happens to a greater or lesser degree in all countries of the world, it is without any doubt happening in huge numbers in South Africa. Whilst there is little statistical data available there is much empirical evidence that informs the situation. Current experts tell us:

There are multiple reason for abuse including violence, poverty, migration, unemployment, illness [and death] and men losing a sense of place, of respect and the value of their role.
All the issues have to be tackled somehow together – single issue focus [i.e. HIV/AIDs] isn’t going to solve things
This is not a race issue – children of wealthy families are abused as well as those from the lowest socio-economic groups. As numbers of black South Africans get wealthier so the numbers of abused children from ‘good’ homes is rising. Conversely as the numbers of white South Africans living in poverty increases, so the numbers of white children being abused rises. The smaller ethnic groups tend to keep their matters ‘in house’ and therefore there are very few figures from the Asian sub-continent groups, the Jewish, Russian or Chinese groups.
The role of the traditional healer / tribal leader is very influential in the rural areas and, where destructive and malevolent, isn’t being nullified; where benign and positive they aren’t being sought out and supported
There is no solid believable up-to-date research data on what abuse occurs against small children.
A leading South African expert ^[1]takes the view, from other studies, that as many as three children in five will be abused no matter race, creed or colour.
When a child is abused and taken to a police station, even if the incident is recorded their age is not recorded [unbelievable but true] so no reliable data comes from the police
Many children are further traumatised by the police or other statutory authorities thus dissuading others from reporting abuse to the police
21.9% of all children less than 5yrs are malnourished, 5% of children suffer from foetal alcohol syndrome; therefore nearly 30% of all children are cognitively impaired by the time they get to school.
The incidence of incest and the abuse of very young children is rising: 47% of all reported assaults are towards children 6 years or younger
The HIV/AIDs crisis has almost certainly diverted resources of manpower and money from children’s services
Whilst men cause most of the direct problems they are also, in the end, a crucial part of the solution; to be of any value programmes must also get access to young men and boys.

In the light of all this we focus on:

Working with pre-schools/crèches to

train the women to recognise and act on suspicions of abuse;
to provide a safe place for children
to provide a place of skills and knowledge for people in the communities.
The empowerment of women and men, working in community services, through training and awareness programmes.

Diversion/training programmes for vulnerable or potentially violent young men and/or young women, we:

encourage and promote a different pattern to their lives through development programmes using a hook like football
work with children whose lives are disrupted by poverty, abuse, malnutrition, illness or abandonment.

Our overwhelming aim, always, is to help break the cycle of abuse.

^[1] Joan Van Niekerk, Head of Childline SA.