Girl (4) allegedly sexually assaulted by 16-year-old uncle
"This is not the first time he did this. The first time he was caught, he promised not to do it again after being spoken to."
A four-year-old child was allegedly sexually assaulted by her 16-year-old uncle last Saturday in Soshanguve.
Speaking to Rekord on Wednesday, the mother, who is from Atteridgevile, said the incident happened while she and the child visited family in Soshanguve.
She said she had left her four-year-old daughter in the care of her brother while she left to run errands.
“When I came back, she told me that he had touched her inappropriately.”
The mother then rushed the child to the clinic for assistance, but was told to report the incident to the police first.
“On Saturday, we went to the police station and then back to the clinic but they still couldn’t assist because, as a minor, she needed to be taken to a hospital that deals with sexually abused children.
“On Monday, I was assisted by a community leader to take her to a clinic in Laudium for help where it was confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted.”
According to the mother, this is not the first time the 16-year-old had done this.
“The first time he was caught and he promised not to do it again after being spoken to. I’m surprised that he did it again. When we asked him why he did it, he said he did not but we could tell he was lying.”
The mother said initially she wanted to open a case of rape, but things were complicated by the conclusion by doctors that she had not been penetrated.
She said she then did not know what case to open, so she opted not to because she believed that the “sexual assault case would not hold water” as the child had already bathed.
“I got confused because I had bathed her. I want to open the case, but I don’t have the evidence to do so.”
She said her daughter was traumatised by what happened.
“She is angry at times. . . she also randomly cries.”
Danie van Loggerenberg of the child abuse hotline said incidents like this must definitely be reported.
Van Loggerenberg said it might not seem like rape, but it is a form of grooming where the 16-year-old is getting the child ready for rape once she is of an age at which he can have his way with her.
“It is unacceptable and if anybody ever sees this behaviour, rather report it and have the child safe. The problem is that the four-year-old will never share something like this with her mum if it happens in the future.”
He said a lot of kids did not report future abuse if they did not receive help when it happened the first time.
“The teenager needs rehabilitation because there’s something wrong with him if he wants to have sex with a four-year-old,” Van Loggerenberg said.
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