{
  "id": 8849223,
  "title": "‘Government continues to fail women and children’: More than 7 raped every day, almost half are kids",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/government-continues-to-fail-women-and-children-more-than-7-raped",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-21T05:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Citizen",
    "slug": "the-citizen",
    "url": "https://www.citizen.co.za/news/sas-gbv-crisis-deepens-seven-women-raped-every-day-almost-half-are-kids/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In Mpumalanga province, South Africa, there have been an average of over seven reported rapes daily, with nearly half of these involving children, according to police statistics. Between April and June, 688 rape cases were recorded, comprising 356 women and 332 children. Teboho Sekaledi, a DA member of the Mpumalanga legislature, emphasized that these statistics are not merely figures but represent traumatized victims, devastated families, and communities living in fear. The South African Police Service (Saps) crime statistics indicate that only a small fraction of these cases are reported due to fear, shame, threats, family pressure, stigma, and a lack of trust in institutions. Dr. Shaheda Omar, clinical director of the Teddy Bear Foundation, warned that these underreported incidents could significantly impact children's development, including their education, relationships, trust, and sense of safety. She called for early identification of at-risk children, age-appropriate education on body safety, boundaries, and consent, along with stronger parenting programs and interventions targeting harmful sexual behavior among children and adolescents. Additional measures should include programs promoting healthy masculinity, respect, accountability, and non-violence among boys and men, as well as establishing safe reporting mechanisms in schools. Robyn Wolfson Vorster, a child protection activist, highlighted that Mpumalanga has the highest rates of child rape compared to other child-related crimes. Wolfson pointed out critical resource gaps, including insufficient policing, medical, psychosocial, and legal support, and criticized the province's slow progress in vetting educators against the National Child Protection Register. Sekaledi urged the deployment of specialized gender-based violence units in high-risk areas, increased police presence, and the urgent strengthening of victim-support services. Willem Els, from the Institute for Security Studies, noted that sexual offenses are among the most underreported crimes, often involving known perpetrators, including family members, which deters victims from reporting.",
  "summary": "Reported cases 'only a fraction' of sexual violence.",
  "key_points": [
    "Over seven rapes reported daily in Mpumalanga, South Africa, with half involving children.",
    "Only a fraction of cases reported due to fear, shame, and lack of trust in institutions.",
    "Experts call for stronger support systems, early intervention, and safe reporting mechanisms."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The persistently high rate of child rape in Mpumalanga province highlights a critical need for targeted interventions, including education and support programs, to address the scourge and restore trust in institutions.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}