DA calls for urgent action as over 100,000 Child Rape Cases reported in six years
20 October 2024
The Democratic Alliance (DA) is sounding the alarm on South Africa’s escalating child rape crisis, revealing shocking statistics that highlight a systemic failure to protect vulnerable children. Over 106 000 rape cases and 22,000 sexual assault cases involving children have been reported over the last six financial years.
In response, the DA will write to the Portfolio Committees on Police, Social Development, and Justice to hold an emergency joint meeting to address the dire need for coordinated interventions at protecting South Africa’s children from heinous crimes such as rape, sexual assault, and other violent offences. With rape accounting for 38.3% of all crimes against children nationwide in 2022/2023, the DA is calling for urgent action to safeguard South Africa’s youth.
The DA’s call to action comes amid alarming statistics revealed through a DA parliamentary question showing between the financial years of 2018/2019 and 2023/2024, 106,001 rape cases involving children were reported. On average, this equals approximately 1,472 child rape cases per month. Or to roughly 48 rape cases per day.
With 22,722 sexual assault cases reported over the same period, that equates to an average of 316 child sexual assault cases per month or roughly 10 cases per day. While these statistics are shocking not all rapes are reported, pointing to an even greater crisis than the numbers alone indicate.