Missing Child Case Uncovers Alleged Rape by Stepfather

When a man contacted Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) to report his nine-year-old step-daughter missing, he did not anticipate that police would pounce on him. The child stated she had run away because her stepfather had allegedly raped her.

According to RUSA head, Prem Balram, the child ran away from home on August 4th after her stepfather had allegedly raped her earlier that morning while her maternal grandmother was also at home. At 2 p.m. on the same day, RUSA received a call from the stepfather reporting that he could not find the child. When RUSA officers arrived at the home and interviewed the stepfather, who was on crutches, he said his step-daughter had gone to use the outside toilet and had been missing for two hours. Balram said they checked the toilet to see if it was a pit toilet, but that was not the case.

Balram then dispatched a team of 20 officers and paramedics to search for the young girl, searching bushes and roads. Officers also went to a school nearby, where staff told them they had last seen the girl on August 1st. She had not gone to school that Monday because she was reportedly “sick.”

RUSA decided to circulate a missing persons poster with the girl’s picture. Within 15 minutes, they received four calls from people who said the girl was at her aunt’s house in a different area. When RUSA officers arrived, they found the girl with her aunt. They informed the aunt that it was illegal to take the child without her parents’ permission, to which the aunt responded that her niece had called her to say she had been raped by her stepfather. The child told a female RUSA officer that she had pretended to go to the toilet to escape. She claimed the rape occurred hours before her stepfather called RUSA and that he had also abused her the week before.

When officers questioned the stepfather, he said there had been previous allegations against him and claimed the family was trying to frame him. Balram questioned why the girl was still left in his care. A few hours after the girl was found, her biological father called RUSA and said he believed his daughter was being raped.

KZN police spokesman, Lt Colonel Paul Magwaza, confirmed that detectives from the Phoenix Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) arrested the 36-year-old man for the rape of the nine-year-old girl. He appeared in the Verulam Magistrate’s Court last Wednesday and was released on R1500 bail.

Thuba Vilane, spokesperson for the Department of Social Development, said their social workers had already visited the girl and would continue to work with the family to ensure her best interests. He added that the number of reported cases of rape of young girls and children is very concerning, especially during the month of August, which is Gender-Based Violence awareness month. Vilane said KZN Social Development MEC, Mbali Shinga, had raised the issue and concerns surrounding GBV and abuse of children in the latest portfolio committee meeting.

Rachel Wilkin, the Chairperson of the Verulam Community Police Forum, said that when an incident of child abuse comes to light, it is everyone’s civic duty to report it immediately to the police and the relevant child protection organizations. She also noted a concerning increase in child abuse incidents in and around Verulam, calling it a “hidden crime” that people hesitate to report due to reasons like family breakdown, the perpetrator being the family’s breadwinner, or fears for their own safety. She added that people can still seek help even if they prioritize healing over justice, as “without action, there can be no safety or recovery.”

Keresha Govender, a Psych wellness and Life coach with the DSK Group NPO, said many sexual assault cases are not reported for fear of repercussions for the family and the survivor. She said most minors are groomed and are too afraid to come forward. Others who speak out are silenced by social stigmas and financial dependency, creating a vicious cycle of abuse where survivors don’t get the help they need. Govender said her organization had also seen a rapid rise in child sexual assault cases and that as a community, it is everyone’s responsibility to protect children, be vigilant, and create safe spaces for them. She noted that recent media coverage has brought to light horrific cases where minors were targeted by perpetrators who were not strangers. Govender emphasized that “we should not have to warn our babies to be wary of people they love, but we should warn our babies to be wary of anyone and everyone.” She concluded that the message and consequences for perpetrators need to be loud and clear, and every opportunity should be used to make this known.

Source: African Publicity