Durban — With the holiday season in full swing, parents have been urged to ensure they know where their children are at all times to keep them safe from sexual predators.
The Department of Social Development in KZN said that over the holidays a number of cases of sexual abuse of children had occurred simply because parents had failed to pay sufficient attention.
“When you allow your children to move away and they are not where you are able to watch them this puts them at risk most of the time where they get attacked by predators. And during this time when people are intoxicated either by alcohol or any other substance, the way they then think or their thought process is frightening,” said department spokesperson Mhlaba Memela.
Such individuals then behaved in a predatory manner against children.
He urged parents to always be aware of their children’s whereabouts during the festive season.
“Parents should know where their children are and who they are with. If ever parents are not where their children are. They must make sure there is an adult with them, and that should be someone they trust and someone who can contact them should there be a problem so that should something happen it is reported to authorities immediately.”
Memela, highlighting the importance of reporting sexual attacks on children, lambasted the practice where such cases are solved between families and/or neighbours by sitting down and talking.
“In such cases we often find that it is the children in the long run who are affected by this. When parents decide that some of these cases are minor and they can resolve them as families and neighbours they rob the child of justice. When someone violates the rights of children, they need to be arrested in order to create a safe environment for children.”
Echoing Memela’s sentiments, children’s rights advocate Joan Van Niekerk appealed to parents to prevent their children from roaming the streets alone.
“If they have to go to the shop for anything or visit an aunt or uncle, always send children in pairs or even larger numbers where possible. Children who walk on the street alone are in fact very vulnerable even though we believe people might be out and about,” said Van Niekerk.
She said especially during this period, parents should at all times know where their children were.
“I know it’s a time for partying over the festive season and often people have bonuses and money but I think it is incumbent upon parents, it’s essential for parents to know that even though it’s party time, children need to be looked after, cared for and protected”.
Daily News