Shortage of social workers thwarts support for EC rape victims, Parliament told

Parliament’s inquiry into statutory rape has heard that while some professionals are unsure how to report the crime, families of the victims are often reluctant to do so.

On Tuesday, the inquiry will enter a second day in East London, to determine what Parliament should do to protect children from sexual assault.

On Monday, a dire shortage of social workers was highlighted as a key challenge to dealing with statutory rape in the Eastern Cape.

This is despite many young social workers being unemployed.

The Department of Social Development said statutory rape in the Eastern Cape has become a scourge.

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While the Children’s Act makes it mandatory for professionals to report such crimes, Deputy Director-General, Zoliswa Ganca, said many don’t know how to complete the paperwork to report the cases.

Social workers are also overburdened by their case load.

“Because of the shortage of social workers, we are not able to efficiently and effectively support the victims.”

She said many social workers also fear reprisal if they do report statutory rape cases.

“Fear of attack by communities, fear of stigmatisation because you are a victim of sexual assault.”

Ganca said many families also prefer to come to their own arrangement when such cases occur, to ensure financial stability in the family because the perpetrator is often a breadwinner.

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