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[CAPE TOWN, 21 August 2006] - The problem of sexual abuse in South African schools was placed under the spotlight in 2001 when a Human Rights Watch report documented high levels of rape, sexual abuse, and sexual harassment against girls in schools, perpetrated primarily by male teachers and classmates. A more recent study exploring the victimisation of youth aged between the ages of 12 and 22 found that this age group was twice as likely to be victimised as adults, and that 41.5 per cent of this group reported victimisation in the previous year. This study also highlighted the problem of the use of corporal punishment in schools notwithstanding this form of punishment having been declared illegal. Other researchers have observed that schools are ill-prepared to respond to crime related problems and have noted that very few schools have policies and procedures in place to deal with crises. With around 27 600 schools in South Africa serving around 12 million children, there is a critical need to address these and other problems as a matter of urgency. In the face of these concerning trends, and the vast numbers of children that the education system must serve, there is no question that finding solutions to address these problems is a significantly tall order. Yet, it is also true that addressing these problems at the school level will go a long way to promoting and protecting the overall health and well-being of children. Unfortunately, efforts to address these problems at a national level come up against a range of difficulties. The most significant of these is the fact that education and other social services such as health and social welfare are constitutionally mandated as “concurrent functions”, placing the primary locus of control for these services at the provincial level of government. This means that agents of change seem most likely to achieve change if efforts are directed at the nine provincial governments rather than at the national government. RAPCAN (Resources Aimed at the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect) has adopted a number of different approaches to addressing abuse in its work in schools in the Western Cape province in South Africa. It has specifically invested in approaches that build the capacity of educators and other service providers that work directly with children. Over the years, educators have been trained to understand and identify different kinds of child abuse, and to follow established procedures to ensure that children who have been identified as victims are responded to immediately. Providing alternatives to corporal punishment and the skills for positive discipline has also been a focus of RAPCAN’s attention, seeking to change the culture of how teachers relate to children, and the culture of schools as places of learning. Social workers in the education system have also been recipients of skills development. In particular, those social workers assisting children in disciplinary procedures against educators have been trained to reduce the harm that children may experience when testifying in these proceedings. This work is informed by RAPCAN’s extensive experience in supporting children and their families in Sexual Offence Court proceedings. Over the years, it has become clear that a great many of the problems relating to children are possible to reduce where there is good school management, clear policies and procedures for responding to these problems, and structures that hold educators and other service providers accountable for their actions. The attitudes of educators are also critical. Where they see their role as ensuring the overall health and well-being of children, rather than just in relation to education, schools are more likely to become places where the health and safety of children is promoted. Further information
pdf: http://www.crin.org/docs/rapcan_sa_0806.doc