Be aware of child abuse

In the hope of creating awareness of this subject, the organisation compiled the following information regarding child abuse:

Child abuse is described as acts or omissions by parents or caretakers resulting in serious physical or mental injury, sexual abuse or serious physical neglect of children under 18 years of age.

It can occur in any of the following forms:

• Physical (beating, locking up, poisoning or burning).
• Neglect (malnutrition, abandonment, exposure to elements and frequently unsupervised).
• Sexual (rape, incest, indecent assault).

Child abuse can happen anywhere:

• In poor, middle-class or well –to-do homes
• In rural areas, suburbs and cities
• Involving one or both parents
• At day-care centres
• At schools

Its effects are severe and include:

• Emotional or physical handicaps (sometimes lifelong).
• An abused child may never be able to love and trust other people and may always have a poor self-image.
• Injuries inflicted in childhood may result in permanent crippling and even deformity.
• “Acting out” behaviour
• Even Death

Often abused children become teenagers or adults who act in criminal and other violent anti-social ways.

Director of the Greater Benoni Child Welfare Society, Elsie Labuschagne, said parents who habitually abuse their children may very well end up killing them.

Hundreds of such cases happen every year.

“We at Greater Benoni Child Welfare know that Child Abuse is a symptom that can be treated successfully,” said Labuschagne.

Child abuse can be prevented or the cause cured through therapy.

The Children’s Act requires in terms of Section 110 of Act 38 of 2005 to report any form of child abuse to either the SAPS, Department of Social Development or any Child Welfare Organisation such as Child Welfare or CMR.

The Greater Benoni Child Welfare’s can be contacted on 011 849 5241 or visited at 1 Third Avenue, Northmead, Benoni.