ACDP concerned over alarming trend of abuse

Oscar Thomas
20 November 2014

The African Christian Democratic Party in the Western Cape said it is concerned and alarmed at a recent report which revealed that more than 50 percent of children are abused by either a teacher, guardian or relative.

The Children’s Institute at the University of Cape Town released the report on Tuesday where it also revealed that 74 percent of all child homicides involve children under the age of five, and at least 10 percent of child murders involve sexual assault. 

ACDP Provincial Leader Ferlon Christians said the report also indicated that cases of abuse are severely underreported in a country where more than half of the 45 000 contact crimes against children are sexual in nature.

Christians said how are we to teach and protect our children when the people in-trusted with their safety are the people harming them.

Christians said people in our society to safeguard our children by reporting cases of abuse to local authorities.

“Men should be at the forefront of promoting the 16 days of activism campaign and play a leading role in the fight against woman and child abuse in the country by setting the example Christians added.