As South Africa observes Child Protection Week, we are shedding some light on the sobering truth regarding the state of our nation’s children. The statistics paint a grim picture, revealing a pervasive culture of neglect and abuse that continues to plague our society and children.
We have selected a few areas of great concern, but these are only some of many. Sadly, our search for reliable sources and statistics have also revealed a great lack of information, with many statistics being old or not existing at all.
The staggering number of orphans in South Africa – 2,8 million [1], constituting 14% of all children – is deeply concerning. This figure is intricately linked to the high prevalence of HIV, with South Africa still grappling with one of the highest HIV rates globally [2], if not the highest [13]. Additionally, 69,9% of our children live below the upper-bound poverty line, which allows just enough money for basic nutrition and other essentials such as clothing (2022 value = R1417) [14]. Millions also lack access to piped drinking water and sanitation [3].
Violence against children remains a pervasive issue in South Africa, with 28 children facing violent attacks daily [4]. Shockingly, 45% of households experience domestic violence against children, contributing to a cycle of abuse that perpetuates severe psychological and behavioural issues among our youth [5]. The fact that over three children are killed daily [6,15], which is double the global child homicide estimate [7], reflects a systemic failure to safeguard our children.
Equally alarming is the prevalence of sexual abuse, with 26% of children having experienced some form of sexual abuse before the age of 18 [8]. This translates to more than one incident occurring every 10 minutes – a heartbreaking reality that highlights the urgent need for intervention and the protection of our children.
Looking at rape in specific, statistics show us that 47 children are raped daily in South Africa [9]. That is one child every 31 minutes. What makes this statistic even more shocking is the known underreporting of rapes to authorities, with estimates only 1/9 [10, 16, 17] to ¼ [16] of rape cases being reported to SAPS.
Kidnapping poses yet another threat to our children’s safety, with an average of 51 children being abducted daily between October and December 2023 [11]. This means that every 28 minutes a child was kidnapped – a harrowing reality that highlights the pervasive dangers lurking in our cities, towns, and even homes.
Furthermore, the scourge of human trafficking looms large, with an estimated 150,000 South Africans trapped in its clutches at any given moment [12]. Despite efforts to combat this heinous crime, arrests and convictions remain inadequate, leaving countless victims vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.
Lastly, the issue of baby abandonment shows the plight of our most vulnerable. Exact numbers of babies who are abandoned by their parents do not exist and are difficult to gather, but some sources seem to agree that only one out of three abandoned babies are found alive [18, 19]. It’s clear that urgent action is needed to address the root causes driving this tragic phenomenon.
These are just some of the horrific statistics showing the grave situation our country is in and the reality a majority of our children are already living through at a very young age.
Let’s never forget that these statistics surrounding child neglect and abuse in South Africa are not just numbers – they represent the shattered lives and stolen innocence of our nation’s children. It is necessary for all of us to take a stand, advocate for their rights, and work tirelessly to create a safer, more nurturing environment for future generations.
These numbers also highlight the importance of the millions of NPO’s that exist in South Africa and the important role they play in bringing change and a hope to the millions of children and people experiencing all forms of neglect, abuse, and violence. Each individual person has the opportunity to be a part of the social change that needs to happen. YOU can make a difference and stand up for the rights of our children.
Together we can!
References
[1] Hall, K. 2023. Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town. Available at: http://childrencount.uct.ac.za/indicator.php?      domain=1&indicator=4 (accessed 16 May 2024).
[2] Elfein, J. 2023. Statistica. Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/270209/countries-with-the-highest-global-hiv-prevalence/#:~:text=Among%20all%20countries%20worldwide%20those,rate%20of%20almost%2026%20percent (accessed 16 May 2024).
[3] Hall, K. 2023. Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town. Available at: http://childrencount.uct.ac.za/domain.php?domain=3 (accessed 16 May 2024).
[4] Muhinga, C. 2022. 28 children violently attacked in South Africa each day. Unicef, Pretoria. Available at: https://www.unicef.org/southafrica/press-releases/28-children-violently-attacked-south-africa-each-day (accessed 17 May 2024)
[5] South Africa. Department of Statistics South Africa. 2024. Child Series Volume II: Crime against children.
[6] Muhinga, C. 2023. Stop this horrific tide of violence against children and women. Unicef, Pretoria. Available at: https://www.unicef.org/southafrica/press-releases/stop-horrific-tide-violence-against-children-and-women (accessed 17 May 2024).
[7] Strydom, M., Schiller, U & Orme, J. 2020. The current landscape of child protection services in South Africa: A systemic review, Social Work, 56(4):383
[8] University of Cape Town. 2024. Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town. Available at: http://childrencount.uct.ac.za/domain.php?domain=10 (accessed 16 May 2024).
[9] South Africa. Parliamentary Research Unit. 2020. SAPS Crime Statistics 2019 – 2020: Contact and Sexual Crimes against women and children. Cape Town.
[10] Middleton, L. 2011. ‘Corrective Rape’: Fighting a South African Scourge. Time. 08 March. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20110310154024/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2057744,00.html(accessed 17 May 2024).
[11] BusinessTech. 2024. This type of crime has quadrupled in South Africa – and everyone is at risk. Available at: https://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/758223/this-type-of-crime-has-quadrupled-in-south-africa-and-everyone-is-at-risk/ (accessed 17 May 2024).
[12] Stop Trafficking of People. Available at: https://www.stoptrafficking.org.za/human-trafficking/ (accessed 17 May 2024).
[13] Hall, K. 2024. Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town. Available at: http://childrencount.uct.ac.za/indicator.php?domain=5&indicator=29 (accessed 16 May 2024)
[14] Hall, K. 2024. Children’s Institute, University of Cape Town. Available at: http://childrencount.uct.ac.za/indicator.php?domain=2&indicator=98 (accessed 16 May 2024).
[15] Mafico, M. 2022. The Murders of 1,098 children and women in ninety days affects each one of us. Unicef, Pretoria. Available at: https://www.unicef.org/southafrica/press-releases/murders-1098-children-and-women-ninety-days-affects-each-one-us (accessed 17 May 2024).
[16] Africa Check. 2023. Old claims about rape in South Africa still being shared online. Available at: https://africacheck.org/fact-checks/spotchecks/old-claims-about-rape-south-africa-still-being-shared-online (accessed 17 May 2024).
[17[ University of Witwatersrand. 2024. Centre for Applied Legal Studies. Available at: https://www.wits.ac.za/cals/our-programmes/gender/rape-attrition-study/ (accessed 27 May 2024).
[18] Bain, EW. 2022. Some Statistics Around Baby Abandonment and Why It Happens. The Citizen. 26 October. Available at: https://www.citizen.co.za/northcliff-melville-times/news-headlines/local-news/2022/10/26/statistics-surrounding-baby-abandonment/(accessed 27 May 2024).
[19] Rosenberg, W. 2021. South African Women Needing to Abandon Their Babies Don’t Have Safe Options: This Must Change. The Conversations. 20 July. Available at: https://theconversation.com/south-african-women-needing-to-abandon-their-babies-dont-have-safe-options-this-must-change-163992 (accessed 27 May 2024).
