WeeklySA_AdminTRAUMA: Reliving their sexual assault ordeal can be scary and invasive for child rape victims…
By Caroline Whitehouse
The 72 hours after the sexual assault of a child can be a crucial window for police to collect biological evidence and document signs of bruising or injury. But this procedure—known as a forensic medical examination—can be scary and invasive.
In a new research published with colleagues, I interviewed 10 children (aged 4–16) and their parents about their experiences attending a Melbourne paediatric hospital in the hours after an alleged assault.
This was a small group, but their stories shed light on wider concerns. Addressing them can help put children first in what may be the most traumatic time of their lives. All names in this article have been changed.
What is a forensic medical examination?
A forensic medical examination can be done in the 72 hours following a child sexual assault.
Its purpose is to gather biological evidence from the victim to help police identify an offender and prosecute them.
At a hospital crisis care suite, the child will speak to a specialist doctor (a forensic paediatrician) alongside another clinician, usually a psychologist or social worker. Police also attend.
The doctor will take the child’s medical history, as well as asking for an account of the assault.
The doctor swabs relevant areas—such as the child’s vulva, vagina or anus—to collect biological materials that may be present, including saliva or semen. They will also look for injuries or bruising.
This examination can be uncomfortable and can take hours. It may also be emotionally harrowing for the child as well as their caregiver.
In the following days, children often need to give another statement to the police and are referred for counselling. A decade ago, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse heard from survivors the importance of trauma-informed responses.
A trauma-informed approach means prioritising a sense of safety for children who have experienced trauma, building trust and sharing control, to avoid retraumatisation.
This means explaining to children and their caregivers what is going to happen next, gaining their consent and giving them some control over the timing and pace of any interventions (such as being swabbed).
Children and families have different—sometimes traumatic—experiences of dealing with health services and police. So considering a child’s personal history and culture is important.
However, there is still little research examining children and young people’s experience of crisis care.
My study involved seven girls, two boys and one non-binary child, aged between four and 16. In the days or weeks after their examination, I interviewed the child and the parent who attended hospital with them, both individually and together (in child-parent pairs).
The interviews uncovered four areas that were important to children and their parents.
• Repeating their story but not feeling heard
After they first report their experience, children need to tell their story several times to various strangers.
This means sharing highly personal details while distressed to people who often don’t have the time to get to know them, their context, family, previous trauma, history or culture.
Fiona (16) found this aspect of the process “very, very, very stressful.”
Some said repeating their story felt like they had to convince professionals it was true.
Layla (14) commented: “I felt like I was the one in trouble.”
• Being treated with care matters
Several young participants discussed feeling “traumatised,” “intimidated” and “ashamed” during the examination itself.
Seven-year-old Sasha told us about the doctor who examined her: “She kept saying, “Lie still,” and it was hard for me to just lie still. Then she just, when she did the examination … I was crying on the bed, and it hurt me …. And she just looked at me. Because she’s seen me crying and she just looked at me.”
But when the doctor or the clinician was caring—and took time to understand them and their individual needs—it helped ease some of the distress.
One parent, Kaye, felt the clinician “had this incredible demeanour and heart about her” and helped her child “understand what was going to happen.”
Other young people appreciated that the clinician helped them with panic attacks and “made us feel relaxed.”
The youngest participant, Ava (4) said she liked that she was given a teddy bear.
• Unpleasant surroundings made the experience worse
Some participants described the space where the forensic medical examination took place as small and unwelcoming.
Dylan (16) felt it was “unsafe,” while Ava said it was “a bit scary.”
CLERGY COMMENDS CHILD RAPE VICTIM’S RESILIENCE
SOLIDARITY: Church Leaders laud courage of seven-year-old who reported sexual abuse amid scores of unresolved cases in the country…
By Silas Isenjia and WSAM Reporter
Members of the South African Council of Churches (SACC) have lauded the courage and resilience of a seven-year-old girl publicly identified as “Cwecwe” who reported that she was sexually abused in the Eastern Cape town of Matatiele.
In a statement, the SACC members expressed their spiritual solidarity with the girl’s family, noting that several similar cases of abuse have gone unreported and unresolved.
The Church leaders condemned the act that allegedly took place at Bergview College in Matatiele last year, and called for a speedy investigation to bring those responsible to book.
“In prayerful solidarity, we extend our support to the young girl and her family, asking for divine strength, healing, and comfort during this challenging time,” the members of the church entity that includes representatives of the Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) said.
They added, “We honour the resilience of this child in speaking out by reporting the abuse and will continue to pray and advocate for her safety, and the well-being of all children in our communities.”
“We recognise the pain and anguish experienced by the community, especially in light of previous incidents involving the abuse of minors in the province,” the church leaders said in their statement this week.
Reports indicate that the minor who was left in the care of the school’s security guard, the driver, and the principal was raped on October 14 2024 and reported the abuse two days later.
Angry protesters in the Johannesburg CBD reportedly joined the nationwide shutdown and waited to hand over their memorandum of demands concerning the case on Tuesday.
In their statement, SACC members express concern over delays in the investigation, noting that the school’s principal has yet to submit DNA samples for testing.
But, Police Minister Mchunu has since confirmed that the school principal, Jaco Pieterse, had also submitted his DNA, following days of public criticism over his initial refusal. He said police were focusing their probe on “three people of interest” whose DNA samples had been taken to be analysed
They lamented that, despite the security guard and driver having already provided their samples, this delay could further hinder the progress of the case.
Meanwhile, Afriforum lawyer Gerrie Nel was quoted by Daily Maverick as saying he was representing Bergview College principal Jaco Pieterse “to ensure he does not fall victim to an abuse of power or that of the social media detectives who make reckless allegations”.
In a scathing letter addressed to the Eastern Cape police commissioner, Nel took issue with the fact that police had asked for a DNA sample from the principal at whose school, Bergview College, a seven-year old was raped because the “complainant wanted one done” – and not because he was a suspect.
The church leaders regretted that incidents of violence and abuse against minors remain of grave concern in the province and across the country, with “many cases often going unreported or unresolved, leaving countless children traumatised, vulnerable, and without justice.”
“We have also observed the rest of the country expressing their sadness, disappointment, and outrage at these reports, sparking nationwide protests as communities call for justice for this little girl,” they said.
Reflecting on the book of St Mark, the church leaders emphasise the need for the protection and care of children as the primary teachings that Christians should embrace.
“We are compelled by our faith to stand resolutely against any form of harm or violence inflicted on children,” they said.
SACC members also cite the country’s constitution which they say guarantees that “every child has the right to a safe education, free from any form of abuse or mistreatment.”
“It is deeply concerning that a place intended for learning and growth has become associated with such an incident. It is our firm belief that anyone found responsible for harming a child should not be allowed to work in educational or childcare environments,” they say.
The church leaders urge the school’s administration and the provincial Department of Basic Education to work transparently and collaboratively with law enforcement agencies to ensure that the matter is investigated thoroughly and without delay.
“We also urge the South African Police Service (SAPS) to expedite their investigation and for the justice system to proceed impartially, allowing for due process,” they said, adding: “Protecting the welfare of our children must be our collective foremost priority, and we urge all stakeholders to take proactive steps in preventing such tragedies in the future.”
No arrests have been made since the incident was reported in October last year.
The Police Minister has described the case as complex, but he assured South Africans that police were working hard to get to the bottom of it. – ACI and Weekly SA Mirror
No foreign DNA found on child rape victim – Police
PROBE: Police Minister confirms school principal has since submitted his DNA; that the case has been probed by three officers since October; that ‘three people of interest’ under police spotlight…
