Concern over number of underage children increasingly perpetrating GBV

The Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) on the Garden Route said it was alarmed at the number of juveniles involved in gender-based violence (GBV).

In applauding work done by detectives to apprehend suspects linked to GBV-related crimes, the FCS unit revealed that three out of every 12 suspects who were apprehended during a recent crime-tracing operation were minors.

Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie said detectives apprehended 12 suspects in connection with sexual offences.

“Initially, police arrested three suspects for various sexual offences in Pacaltsdorp, Knysna and Plettenberg Bay. However, as the operation continued, police apprehended nine other suspects, three of whom were juveniles,” Pojie said.

While minors perpetrating sexual offences is not a new phenomenon in South Africa, there has been an increase of 22% in sexual offences committed by children since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the Centre for Child Law based in the Faculty of Law at the University of Pretoria (UP).

Centre for Child Law candidate attorney Fortunate Mongwai said child justice matters needed to be addressed with sensitivity while taking into account the age and vulnerability of the children involved.

“It is difficult to tell what enables an environment where children become perpetrators of such violent offences. There is a need to understand the criminal mind of a child and the push factors for them committing such offences.

“We need to do ground research by social workers who work closely with children who conflict with the law regarding s.e.xual offences so that we can better understand what pushes them to such an extent,” Mongwai said.

In other news – Andile and Tamia Mpisane’s n#de maternity photoshoot has Mzansi talking – Photo

Tamia Mpisane shared more maternity photoshoot content and Mzansi is shaken. We’ll this time around, their photos are steamy, semi-n#de and they got Mzansi tongues wagging. Fans of the couple are pretty impressed with the uniqueness of their maternity photos.

Mzansi is also impressed at how cute and unique they look like a couple. So far, the post where they shared these daring images has gained over 30,000 likes and over 500 comments. Learn More