World Vision Swaziland is preparing
to launch a national campaign called ‘It takes a world to end violence against
children’ before the end of 2017.
The Christian organisation’s
Advocacy and Justice for Children Manager Sakhile Malaza told local media, ‘We’ll
be working with multiple stakeholders, the Government, traditional leaders,
celebrities and other influencers to play a role to end violence.’
Malaza said not a week
passed by without headlines in Swaziland of missing children, suicides or abuse
cases.
The Swazi Observer reported on Thursday (24 August 2017) that Malaza
said, ‘World Vision continues to raise awareness to all stakeholders that
include parents, traditional leaders, religious leaders, law enforcers and the
children themselves to be safe and ensure that their whereabouts are known at
all times.’
Earlier this month, a UNICEF report revealed nearly
nine out of ten children in Swaziland suffered violent discipline in the home, nearly four in ten suffered sexual violence and one
in three were bullied. UNICEF (the United Nations Children’s Fund) reported that much of this was kept secret within
the family.
UNICEF said according to
national data, violent discipline in the home, which includes physical
punishment and psychological aggression, affected more than 88 percent of all
children in Swaziland. The study findings also revealed that sexual violence
and bullying affected 38 per cent and 32 percent of children in Swaziland,
respectively.
In March 2017, the Office
of the Deputy Prime Minister in Swaziland said nearly a half of all abuse cases
reported involved children, And, most abusers were parents or someone
well-known to the victim.
A total of 357 cases were
reported in the financial year 2016 / 2017.
A report tabled at the Swazi Senate revealed 71 percent of the victims were females.
A report tabled at the Swazi Senate revealed 71 percent of the victims were females.
The most common abuse with
90 cases was described as ‘emotional / verbal’. There were also 76 cases of
physical abuse and 69 of neglect.
A total of 47 percent of
the cases involved children aged up to 11.
The abuse of children in
Swaziland is not new. Swazi culture condones sex abuse of
children, especially young girls. Child rapists often blame women for their
action.
The State
of the Swaziland Population report revealed that women who ‘sexually
starve’ their husbands were blamed for the growing sexual abuse of children.
Men who were interviewed during the making of the
report said they ‘salivate’ over children wearing skimpy clothes because their
wives refused them sexual intercourse.
‘According to the Swaziland Action Group against Abuse
(SWAGAA), one in three girls and women between ages 13 and 24 had been a victim
of sexual violence. Although rape is legally defined as a crime, many men
regarded it as a minor offense.
‘The number of reported cases was likely far lower
than the actual number of cases, as many cases were dealt with at the family
level. A sense of shame and helplessness often inhibited women from reporting
such crimes, particularly when incest was involved.
See also
9 IN 10 KIDS SUFFER VIOLENCE AT HOME
SWAZI
CHILD RAPE IS NOT UNUSUAL
‘INVESTIGATE
PRINCE FOR CHILD SEX’
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