The Sunday News
CASES of child sexual abuse continue to be on the increase in the country with the latest statistics indicating that about 18 children below the age of 16 are being raped daily, translating to one child being abused every 90 minutes nationally.
Information obtained from the National Aids Council (NAC) Gender and Workplace Department, shows that 4 943 children were sexually abused in the first nine months of this year, up from 3 421 recorded during the same period last year.
The statistics show that children aged between 11 and 16 were the most vulnerable to abuse, with 2 456 children in that age group having been sexualy abused so far this year.
At least 370 children aged four years and below were sexually abused in the first three quarters of the year, while 835 children aged between five and 10 were abused in the same period.
About 93 percent of the total number of abused children so far this year are girls while boys constitute seven percent.
The data also shows that most of the perpetrators of child sexual abuse were people close to the children.
Neighbours accounted for about 41 percent of perpetrators, while relatives left in the care of children accounted for about 27 percent with strangers accounting for 32 percent.
NAC gender and workplace co-ordinator Ms Vimbai Mdege expressed concern at the ever increasing trend in the number of abused children, adding that the number of abused children could even be higher, as some cases went unreported.
“Generally looking at the trends you can tell that there is an increase of cases every quarter and that is worrying. Even if you compare this year’s figures so far, we have already surpassed what we recorded in other previous years. This may mean that this year might record the highest abuse cases in years,” she said.
Ms Mdege attributed the continued increase in child sexual abuse to failure by authorities to enforce the country’s laws that deal with the scourge.
She also called for stiffer penalties to be imposed on perpetrators as a way deterring other people from committing similar offences.
“There are a variety of factors that lead to child abuse, among them rituals and poverty especially in the case of orphans and vulnerable children.
“Curbing of child sexual abuse has to start with the laws themselves. We should ask ourselves if we are enforcing the available laws or not. We also feel that the sentences that are imposed against perpetrators of child sexual abuse are not deterrent enough.
“If you look at people who sexually abuse children under the age of four, you will see that it’s sheer animosity and a cold heart that motivates one to do such an act. It’s our feeling that such people should get stiff sentences,” she said.
“Generally there is breakdown of social fabric to such an extent that children, especially orphans, don’t have anyone to guide them and take care of them, which leaves them vulnerable to abuse.”
Mdege said her organisation was engaging national leaders in efforts to come up with strategies that could help arrest the increasing cases of sexual abuse of children.
At the prevailing rate of 18 children being abused daily, it can be forecast that more than 6 500 children would have been sexually abused by the end of the year which would be the highest figure recorded in the past four years.
In 2009 a total of 3 481 cases were recorded and the figure went up to 4 550 cases in 2010. A total of 5 449 cases were recorded in 2011 and the figure almost halved the following year with 2 405 cases having been recorded.
