Experts weigh in on possible reasons behind parents harming their children
Experts shed light on filicide, looking at possible underlying motivations and warning signs that can be observed by relatives and neighbours.
In South Africa, an alarming increase in cases of filicide, or parents killing their own children, has left mental health professionals stunned. The POST interviewed several experts to explore the possible causes and warning signs of filicide, which often go unnoticed by family and neighbors.
Dr. Guru Kistnasamy, a psychologist, was "shocked" by the recent case of a three-year-old girl's death in Chatsworth, where the perpetrator was charged with murder, assault, and child neglect. The media has exposed numerous instances of children being killed through strangulation, poisoning, hanging, or beaten to death. Kistnasamy noted that the underlying factors in these killings are typically personal and interpersonal relationship issues, such as social isolation, extreme financial problems, low intellectual capacity, depression, ongoing abuse, mental illnesses, or psychosis.
Other potential causes of filicide include extreme anger, narcissistic personality type, revenge, bitter separations or divorces, ongoing abuse, humiliation, rejection, and addiction to alcohol and drugs. The abused partner may suffer from selective amnesia and have a high likelihood of harming the children. Surviving children often face profound psychological consequences, including fear of adults, trust issues, anxiety, low self-esteem, and struggles in adult life.
Dr. Keresha Govender, another psychologist, emphasized that child abuse leaves deep emotional scars that persist into adulthood, affecting a child's emotional state, behavior, thought patterns, depression, anxiety, and relationships. Dr. Nadia Bernon, a gender-based violence expert, explained that mothers often act out of overwhelming feelings of supportlessness and depression, while fathers are more likely to commit revenge killings due to relationship breakdowns or threats to child access.
Untreated depression can also drive parents to filicide, and they often commit suicide, leaving little evidence for authorities to investigate. Cultural and personal stigma surrounding mental illness often prevents individuals from seeking help, and parents may fear losing custody of their children. To combat this issue, routine mental health screenings for new parents during prenatal and postnatal visits, as well as during separation and divorce, are crucial.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
