Durban — A 10-year-old girl is now on mild antidepressants to deal with the trauma of allegedly being repeatedly raped by her mother’s stepfather.
It is alleged that the family came to know about the abuse after the girl’s grandmother walked into the bedroom to find her 42-year-old lover on top of the child.
The grandmother’s lover, after making a brief court appearance on Wednesday, will appear in the Pinetown Regional Court on May 9. He was arrested in September 2022 but is currently out on R4 000 bail.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed on Wednesday that there was an incident in which a victim was allegedly raped repeatedly and a 42-year-old suspect was arrested.
Speaking after the court appearance, the child’s mother said that they both consult with a psychiatrist, monthly, to deal with the emotional trauma. The child was also prescribed mild antidepressants as instructed by the psychiatrist.
“This has had a negative impact on my child, who is now afraid to go to the toilet on her own at school and always has to ask a friend to accompany her because she keeps having images of him in her head.
“She says she also sees me lying in a pool of blood because she was threatened that if she told anyone she would have her mother taken away from her. These are also the flashbacks she has at night when she struggles to sleep.”
The mother said she had suffered mental breakdowns and had been diagnosed with anxiety and depression. She has also been in and out of hospitals because of panic attacks.
The mother said this has been a difficult time for her considering that the accused is her stepfather. The grandmother’s lover had been living with the family for nearly 10 years.
“We had a strong bond and he treated me like his own child. Never in a million years would I have thought something like this could happen,” she said.
She said she wanted justice to be served and it did not matter to her to how many years he was sentenced, if convicted.
“Just as long as he is not in society. As the mother of the child, I feel let down by the justice system, for a man who is being accused of raping a child to be given bail and let back into society.
“Yes, he has bail conditions that he must not return to the area but he still gets to live his life while my family is going through this tragedy.”
Alvin Brijlal, the director of a Durban NGO called Victim Outreach and Information Centre, or Voice, said it was becoming overwhelmingly concerning as every day there were reports of children being abused, raped and murdered.
“It’s disappointing to hear of fathers raping their own children. We are supposed to be the protectors of our beautiful, innocent children. How dare we let this happen every day in our country?
“I hope and pray for the courts to make life a living hell for those found guilty of these crimes. They should never be part of society. I hope this child will get justice and all the help and love from those around her.”
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Daily News