Eleven-year-old Violet* couldn't contain her excitement about a birthday party with her friends. But instead of a few hours of balloons and cake, she came home traumatised.
Violet is just one of at least 52 pupils in Tshwaragano Primary School in Thokoza who have been raped in the past few years - raising fears in the community that the children are under siege by rapists.
At least 37 children at the school have come forward this year to tell child welfare officials of their experiences of sexual abuse.
When Gauteng Education MEC Angie Motshekga learnt about the alarming rate of child rapes, she organised a meeting with the school, which was held on Thursday.
Principal Mmathoto Tlou said the rapes had been taking place steadily over the past three years. When 15 children confided in their teachers, the school had decided to call in Childline representatives and the Ekurhuleni metro police to hold a workshop in October.
It was at this workshop that another 37 pupils found the courage to break their silence and speak about their horrific experiences.
Violet's aunt said on Thursday that her niece came to live with her when her sister died in March - a month after the rape. She didn't know that Violet had been raped until a few months later.
The aunt said the girl finally revealed how her mother's ex-boyfriend had promised to take her to a party with her friends, but instead the boyfriend - whose name is known to The Star - took her home and raped her.
Violet's aunt said the man and her sister had been "deeply in love" for a year until she ended the relationship after finding him with another woman.
In February, two months after the couple's relationship soured, the ex-boyfriend persuaded Violet's mother to let him take her daughter to the party.
He took her home and ordered the little girl to clean up his parents' four-room house and the two-room home he occupied at the back. By the time Violet finished her chores, it was dark, and she made a bed for herself on the floor.
When she woke up, she found her mother's ex-boyfriend standing over her.
"He demanded that she take off the long pants she had on. She refused," the aunt said.
After she refused him a second time, he forced himself on her.
"He took her back home at 6am. She couldn't walk properly."
The aunt said she believed Violet had told her mother what had happened because she saw her sister withdraw into herself. "She never said a word to anyone after that.
She kept to herself and became uncommunicative."
Violet's mother fell ill and was admitted to a hospital, and died on March 8. "She died of grief, I am sure," the aunt said.
At the meeting, Motshekga said she would call on all the political structures in the community to pull together to find solutions to the problem.
"Any child under 18 is the responsibility of the state, so we will be charging perpetrators - but we will also be charging parents with negligence," the MEC vowed.
Tshwaragano pupils had also come to the meeting to sing and dance after the discussions and to show their support for the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign.
Addressing the children, Motshekga said: "Don't allow anyone to spoil your childhood. Don't accept gifts or sweets and don't let strangers send you to buy beer. Don't be scared to report abusers to your parents."
She said her department would help the school through the local councillor.
Superintendent Andy Pieke said the police recognised that child rapes were a serious issue and were working with the Education Department to address the problem.
He said he wasn't aware of Violet's case but would investigate.
*Not her real name
Įvertinkite straipsnį