Child Abuse Research in South Africa

Child abuse is a world-wide phenomenon that has in recent years received much attention While research and advocacy surrounding child abuse has gained momentum, it can also be expressed in unique ways, such as African children accused of witchcraft. Most research on children accused of witchcraft in however, appears in unpublished literature and as such, the expression and understanding thereof is limited. Belief in supernatural entities, like witches and witchcraft exist in many religious and cultural systems and are believed to be the agents of misfortune. Generally, a person accused of witchcraft is likely to experience physical and psychological harm, with historic and contemporary evidence supporting this. This study aims to describe children accused of witchcraft, through an analysis of secondary data. The overall was to examine news reports, advocacy agencies and various commentaries on children accused of witchcraft toward providing firstly, a description of an expression of child abuse in Africa, which seems to be underreported; and secondly, the representation of religio-cultural beliefs in ways that justify the abuse of children. Data took the form of news reports, as well as information from web pages and advocacy agencies. A content analysis of secondary data was undertaken, and three themes identified are discussed namely, 1) protagonists of violence; 2) consequences of witchcraft accusations and 3) religio-cultural beliefs and justification of accusation. This research contributes to understanding an expression of child abuse, as well as indicates how religio-cultural beliefs may be represented in a way that is used as a justification to violence.

Corporal punishment has generally been used as a disciplinary measure for ill behaviour in Zimbabwe before it was outlawed in 2017 through a High Court ruling that declared article 60(2) (c) of the Educational Act unconstitutional. Before 2017, the use of corporal punishment in Zimbabwean schools was every day. However, different actors included educationists and civic organizations that disputed and advocated against its use. The sentiments against the use of Corporal punishment followed many countries that passed laws and policies that restricted the use of corporal punishment. This study examined the perceptions of parents in low-income communities on the use of corporal punishment as a correction measure in schools. The introduction of policies through a Government Gazette (2013) governing the use of corporal punishment has been received with some reservations among the parents, caregivers, education sector, civil society and the children themselves. Some individuals still believe in the use of corporal punishment. The study focused on the use of corporal punishment as a disciplinary tool in schools, with specific reference to Tafara 1 High School.

Regarding large-scale social disorganisation, poverty and unemployment in contemporary South Africa, many youths are exposed to alcohol and illicit substances in the family and community context. Substance use typically leads to an upsurge in economic offences, while the illicit drug-trade frequently engenders violent transgressions. The availability and exposure to alcohol and illicit substances often also increases the propensity for youths to experiment with these substances, potentially leading to addiction and a significant number of youths coming into conflict with the law. In addition, a large proportion of the youth populace may be at risk of jeopardising their social goals, destabilising their bond to the family, and becoming detached from school or other prosocial activities. Moreover, substance use is typified by academic failure, increased susceptibility for youth-gang membership and a surge in impulsive, hedonistic and violent behaviour. Several authors concur by emphasising that more individuals are detained for narcotics-related offences in comparison to any other, with arrestees frequently testing positive for illicit substance use. Both first-time and repeat offenders are often also under the influence of alcohol or illicit substances whilst contravening the law. Against this background, a qualitative approach was utilised, to gauge the unique experiences and views of youth regarding their use of and exposure to alcohol and illicit substances in their social milieu. Data was obtained using a purposive sample of 20 detained male youths and analysed by frequency and percentage distributions together with narrative accounts from the participants. The findings revealed that the majority of youth in the sample (60%) regard the frequent use of alcohol and illicit substances as a pertinent predictor for youth misconduct and as a key factor that contributed to their most recent transgression. It is thus envisaged that these findings will stimulate further research and facilitate the expansion of knowledge regarding the use of alcohol and illicit substances as a fundamental socio-criminogenic risk factor associated with youth offending.