CHILD RAPE & ABUSE
Anti-abuse website launched
CAPE TOWN -- Ordinary South Africans outraged by the high levels of child abuse in the country were urged this week to help organisations active in combating and preventing the problem.

No one, not even government on its own could reduce, let alone halt child abuse, but working together with an active civil society could make a significant dent, Deputy Justice Minister Cheryl Gillwald said in Parliament.

She was speaking at the launch of the Volunteer Child Network, a web-accessed database (www.volunteerchildnetwork.org.za) aimed at volunteers and organisations active in child abuse prevention.

The website -- developed by the CSIR Crime Prevention Centre -- provided practical ways for ordinary citizens to lend a hand, MPs heard.

Barbara Holtmann, a senior manager at the CSIR, said it was clear that if SA was to be made safe for children "we have to stand up and be counted and take responsibility for helping in this regard.

"The question always is what can I do to help? What is practical?"

However, with the best will in the world, people who wanted to help could do more damage than good in certain circumstances, she said.

It was therefore important to match the goodwill and will to assist, with the expertise and know-how on how to direct that assistance.

The website offered volunteers an opportunity to identify the skills they had that could be useful to organisations and to connect them with organisations that could use those specific skills, she said.

Thoko Majokweni of the National Prosecuting Authority told MPs the rate of child abuse had "aggregated at a very high level and unacceptably so.

"With less than 3000 prosecutors around the country we cannot possibly manage to deal with in excess of 20000 child abuse, even child rape, cases in the country.

"So we do need help from volunteer organisations and from individuals volunteering," she said. -- Sapa

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