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The African continent is confronted with interconnected challenges of water, energy, and food insecurity, particularly affecting marginalized urban residents. Decentralized Water-Energy-Food (WEF) systems have emerged as potential solutions to alleviate these issues exacerbated by climate change. Despite scholarly acknowledgment of constraints related to WEF, there is a growing global trend towards trials of innovative decentralized WEF systems. This paper contributes to the body of research aimed at demonstrating the applicability of decentralised WEF systems at local level, by showcasing the potential of such systems to enhance water, energy and food security in informal settlements. Focusing on Diepsloot slums in Johannesburg, South Africa, the paper applied space analysis, least-cost modeling of sack farming, and renewable energy technologies in providing WEF solutions that demonstrate feasibility, sustainability and decentralised solutions for informal settlements, compared to the popular broad-based solutions that often neglect these marginalised communities. Utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS), AquaCrop crop modeling, financial analysis, and linear optimization modelling urbs, the study provides a comprehensive analysis of past climate trends, water sources, spatial plant arrangements, and a proposed community centre. The proposed Phezulu 'Up' growers' model and the positive return on investment further demonstrate the feasibility of decentralized WEF systems. Policymakers are encouraged to promote these WEF systems to bolster urban livelihoods and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG 2, 6, and 7, in marginalized African urban areas. Recommendations and areas of further research include looking into issues of community engagement, partnerships, risk mitigation, strategies for equity and inclusivity and local knowledge integration during WEF implementation, and robust critique of WEF practical interventions and comparative analysis with other WEF models. Overall, the study provides a blueprint for inclusive and sustainable urban development, emphasizing the importance of localized WEF solutions and community empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa, a country with the highest incidence of rape and child rape in the world, has the fifth highest prevalence of HIV in the world, with 1.1 million AIDS orphans. The UNAIDS Global Report reveals 370,000 AIDS-related deaths in South Africa in 2003. Given the numbers of people infected and dying, South Africa is regarded as having the most severe HIV epidemic in the world. This pandemic is estimated to be several years away from peaking in terms of the numbers of projected AIDS-related deaths with a projection of 75-100 million affected by 2010. In this interview, activist filmmaker Louise Hogarth tackles the issue on HIV/AIDS through her film entitled "Angels in the Dust." (Contains 12 notes.)

Background: Child sexual abuse (CSA) remains a challenge in South Africa, despite various legislative developments to address child abuse. Despite non-offending caregivers (NOC) playing a critical role in child safeguarding, and supporting disclosure and recovery, very little research has focused on understanding what works in assisting them in supporting child victims in South Africa., Objectives: The study examines the exposure of NOC who watched a short film based on the testimonies of four CSA perpetrators in therapy, with a view to exploring whether this film could be useful for CSA prevention, disclosure and support initiatives., Participants and Setting: A convenience sample of eight NOC attending a community support service in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa., Methods: After viewing the film, the NOC completed a questionnaire, and were asked to discuss usefulness of film content based on perpetrator testimonials in sensitizing NOC around disclosure of sexual abuse and support of the child. Thematic data analysis combined their perceptions of sexual abuse experienced by their children/grandchildren and the effect that content of the film had on their perceptions., Results: Five themes emerged; Awareness of CSA and available child protection programs; Views toward CSA disclosure; Emotive responses; Lessons learnt for identification of CSA and child protection; and Recommendations for future programs., Conclusions: The process of viewing and discussing the film stimulated a shift for NOC to identify risk, facilitate disclosure of CSA, and become more supportive toward child victims. The study highlights the potential of using film to guide NOC targeted child protection and safeguarding initiatives., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest to declare and has no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The increase in drug abuse in South Africa has had major social implications in the country. Problems associated with drug dependency are poverty, unemployment, a heavier burden on the health care system, the disintegration of family systems and drug-related crimes. Another area of concern is the link between drug abuse and child abuse. While child abuse is a crime in South Africa, the law does not consider the abuse of drugs during pregnancy as a crime and research on prenatal drug abuse as a form of child abuse is still limited. The issue of prenatal drug abuse as a crime is controversial, to say the least, since society tends to take two stances regarding the use and abuse of psychoactive substances during pregnancy. The harm reduction approach views prenatal drug abuse as a social welfare issue, whereas the punitive approach views the abuse of substances during pregnancy as a crime. Drug-related child abuse cannot be looked at simplistically by merely assessing the physical damage sustained at birth. Harm done to the foetus may result in lifelong problems for the child. Literature on the subject indicates that drug abuse does cause harm to the foetus but that this level of harm in each case should be individualized. Some studies show that substance abuse treatment during pregnancy has been proved to be effective in both reducing the risk of drug exposure before birth and improving the drug user's parenting skills. The paper highlights the situation in South Africa regarding the problem of drug dependency by pregnant mothers, and makes recommendations for further research on prenatal substance abuse. In addition, a call is made for the development of a drug policy dealing with drug dependency in the pregnant mother. Research is also necessary to determine whether drug policy should bring about the criminalization of substance abuse by pregnant women. (Contains 2 notes.)

This paper aims to highlight the push factors leading to children's vulnerabilities especially in historically impoverished communities in post-apartheid South Africa (SA). These push factors are hangovers that Black1 children continue to experience in their daily lives because of the ongoing impact of poverty and family behavioural patterns. Furthermore, the paper highlights how socially constructed violence is perpetuated in the form of gangsterism when factors such as unemployment, mental health issues and lack of services contribute to a lack of care, safety and protection of children, alluding to the State's failure to provide basic services in impoverished communities. The lack of access to services coupled with the need to protect the rights of children promulgated in the UN Declaration of the Rights of the Child highlight how the State is directly implicated in the neglect of SA children's wellbeing. Data collection included focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews with adult community members from two South African communities, exploring perceptions and experiences of everyday violence. Collaborative thematic analyses was used for analyses. Core themes that emerged centre on perceptions on the various dynamics within the family system that ruptures the family system and the various pull factors that attracts children to other replacement family systems. These factors are discussed under sub-themes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper presents findings drawn from a qualitative study that investigated the impact of childhood sexual abuse on school functioning among young adult survivors in South Africa. Data were obtained by means of in-depth individual interviews with 22 young adults. Analyzing the interviews following procedures aligned to a grounded theory approach, the findings revealed the link between the emotional consequences of the experience and the individual's school performance. To provide a detailed explanation of the victims' responses, the discussion includes the multifaceted factors that trigger emotions and their interactions.

Objective: This article reviews the English-language literature on child sexual abuse in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The focus is on the sexual abuse of children in the home/community, as opposed to the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Methods: English language, peer-reviewed papers cited in the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) are examined. Reports from international and local NGOs and UN agencies are also examined. Results: Few published studies on the sexual abuse of children have been conducted in the region, with the exception of South Africa. Samples are predominantly clinical or University based. A number of studies report that approximately 5% of the sample reported penetrative sexual abuse during their childhood. No national survey of the general population has been conducted. The most frequent explanations for the sexual abuse of children in SSA include rapid social change, AIDS/HIV avoidance strategies and the patriarchal nature of society. Child sexual abuse is most frequently perpetrated by family members, relatives, neighbors or others known to the child. Conclusions: There is nothing to support the widely held view that child sexual abuse is very rare in SSA--prevalence levels are comparable with studies reported from other regions. The high prevalence levels of AIDS/HIV in the region expose sexually abused children to high risks of infection. It is estimated that, approximately 0.6-1.8% of all children in high HIV-incidence countries in Southern Africa will experience penetrative sexual abuse by an AIDS/HIV infected perpetrator before 18 years of age.

The police, court officials, social workers, and the public in general perceive street children negatively: their behavior is deemed deviant. This paper examines the concept of deviance as a label placed on the powerless by those in positions of power. (Author)

Addresses the topics of young children's survival, protection, and development in South Africa. Drawing from the findings of an analysis of the situation of women and children in South Africa, discusses children's health and children's rights, and offers suggestions for protecting children. (BB)

This paper By Ward et al. (Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2019) in the issue of the JCPP, is an excellent example of preparing a new programme for parents with children at high risk of present and future behaviour problems. It was to be delivered in a very deprived population in a township in South Africa. We discuss the paper but also raise questions about developing new programmes when they are already successful programmes available and discuss whether it is time for programme developers to meet to discuss what works best and for whom. Read the full article at doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13129 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to address father absence as a key contributory factor to child neglect and abuse and a cause of disrupted and unstable families by means of an explorative literature review. The study follows a biblical and multidisciplinary approach and collaboration between scholars from the fields of social work and theology in an effort to transform broken families. The Children's Act, 38 of 2005, stipulates that children in need of care and protection refer to children who face social issues such as abuse, absent parents, and children who abuse alcohol and drugs, among other things. These children require adequate care, love, and security. A stable family or home environment can provide stability, security, and a caring environment where children can develop to become emotionally healthy and pro-social. God can transform families, especially the families of children who receive the ministry of his Word. The Scripture in Jeremiah 31 verse 29 proclaims: "The fathers have eaten a sour grape and the children's teeth are set on edge". This quote refers to the involvement of the father as the primary leading figure in the family. It illustrates that proper fathering has a much broader significance than just the biological production of children. South Africa has experienced rapid changes, including shifts in family composition. There are many broken relationships, and father absence is a salient issue. Countless numbers of children in the South African landscape are being raised without their biological fathers. Many experiences no fatherly presence at all as they lack an alternative figure. Children are often humiliated for being fatherless and many families are challenged by father absence, and this creates in children a sense of loss and confusion. Hence, the aim of this article to reciprocate to father absence as social ill from a biblical point of view and to suggest a transformative ecclesial praxis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of drugs amongst adolescents and youth has become a global phenomenon and South Africa is no exception. This paper aims to explore the familial contexts and childhood experiences leading up to the drug-taking pathways of young drug users. A qualitative approach was utilized to gather demographic from a purposive sample of 41 young (14–19 years) drug users, at five drug treatment centres in the Western Cape of South Africa. Additionally, participants could agree to participate in an in-depth interview or to provide a written life history account. A thematic data analysis was applied, and the results uncovered a range of family-related risk factors such as family structure (single motherhood and absent fatherhood), and other negative family functioning and practices such as troubled parent-child relationships, poor family communication/interactions, parental/family substance abuse, and conflict-ridden, stressful and often violent and abusive family situations. The findings suggest that prevention initiatives should focus on strengthening family functioning by reducing high conflict, stress, violent and abusive family situations, as well as aim to enhance the caregiver-child relationship. Prevention strategies should encourage live-in and non-live-in fathers to be actively involved in the lives of their children and should aim to reduce parental/caregiver substance abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Childhood maltreatment elevates risk for common mental disorders (CMDs) during late adolescence and adulthood. Although CMDs are highly prevalent among university students, few studies have examined the relationship between childhood maltreatment and 12 month CMDs in a low- to middle-income countries. This paper describes the prevalence of maltreatment and the relationship between type, number and patterns of maltreatment exposure and 12 month CMDs among first-year university students in South Africa., Methods: Maltreatment and CMD data were collected via well-validated self-report scales (corresponding with DSM-IV diagnoses) in a web-based survey of first-year students from two large urban universities (n = 1290) in South Africa. Various multivariate modelling approaches (additive, restrictive interactive and latent class) were used to examine the relationship between maltreatment and CMDs., Results: Overall, 48.4% of participants reported childhood maltreatment, the most common type being emotional abuse (26.7%). Regardless of the modelling approach used, emotional abuse was the only type of maltreatment independently associated with 12-month diagnoses of major depressive disorder (MDD), generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) or drug use disorder (DUD) even after adjusting for types and number of types of maltreatment. Similarly, students in the latent class reflecting histories of emotional abuse (either alone or combined with physical abuse) were more likely to meet criteria for 12-month MDD, GAD or DUD., Conclusion: Findings confirm the high prevalence of childhood maltreatment among South African students. As this exposure elevates risk for MDD, GAD and DUD, interventions aimed at preventing and treating CMDs among first-year students should address experiences of childhood maltreatment.

Background: COVID-19 has become a worldwide pandemic impacting child protection services (CPSs) in many countries. With quarantine and social distancing restrictions, school closures, and recreational venues suspended or providing reduced access, the social safety net for violence prevention has been disrupted significantly. Impacts include the concerns of underreporting and increased risk of child abuse and neglect, as well as challenges in operating CPSs and keeping their workforce safe., Objective: The current discussion paper explored the impact of COVID-19 on child maltreatment reports and CPS responses by comparing countries using available population data., Method: Information was gathered from researchers in eight countries, including contextual information about the country's demographics and economic situation, key elements of the CPS, and the CPS response to COVID-19. Where available, information about other factors affecting children was also collected. These data informed a discussion about between-country similarities and differences., Results: COVID-19 had significant impact on the operation of every CPS, whether in high- income or low-income countries. Most systems encountered some degree of service disruption or change. Risk factors for children appeared to increase while there were often substantial deficits in CPS responses, and in most countries there was at a temporary decrease in CM reports despite the increased risks to children., Conclusions: The initial data presented and discussed among the international teams pointed to the way COVID-19 has hampered CPS responses and the protection of children more generally in most jurisdictions, highlighting that children appear to have been at greater risk for maltreatment during COVID-19., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

In this paper, the researchers comment on the reality of muti murders within the South African context, which is motivated by the News24 article, "Family distraught after missing 7-year-old believed to be a victim of a muti killing". Muti murders in South Africa are undeniable and have affected many individuals, families, and communities. However, this is not limited to South Africa, as muti murders are also experienced globally. Muti murders are murders committed solely to harvest human body parts to make what is considered powerful muti. Subsequently, it has come to the fore, mainly through media sources, that children more often than adults, fall victim to such unlawful, gruesome, and what is often classified as criminal acts, as seen in the article provided above. Most research on 'muti murders' within South Africa, however, appears to be unpublished literature or media sources, as the existent body of knowledge seems to be limited with regards to the exploration of South African muti murders that specifically relate to children as victims. This research aims to explore and contribute to understanding muti murders within the South African context, specifically concerning children as the victims of such gruesome acts. The following findings are imperative to discuss, 1) Child abuse and vulnerability; 2) Seeking power and strength; and 3) Purity as imperative, as these are identified to be important contributing factors to such violent acts. Addressing child multi-murder in South Africa requires rigorous and sustained research efforts. By adopting an interdisciplinary and comprehensive approach, conducting longitudinal studies, analysing international experiences, focusing on risk factors, engaging communities, and developing effective prevention strategies, researchers can contribute to a safer future for children in South Africa. The recommendations outlined here provide a starting point to inform research agendas, and policy decisions, and ultimately, protect the well-being of children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Previous studies of parenting programs suggest that facilitator fidelity, participant attendance and engagement often influence treatment outcomes. While the number of parenting program evaluations has been growing in low- and middle-income countries, little is known about the implementation processes and their impact on participant outcomes in these settings.Methods: This study was nested within a cluster-randomised trial of a parenting program in South Africa. The paper aims to, first, describe the implementation of the intervention over 14 weeks. Second, using longitudinal multilevel analyses, the paper examines the impact of variation in observer-rated fidelity, attendance, and engagement on participant outcomes - parenting and maltreatment reported by caregivers and adolescents aged 10-18 (N = 270 pairs), 14 outcome constructs.Results: Fidelity, attendance and participant engagement rates were similar to those reported in high-income country studies. However, the participation and implementation characteristics did not predict participant outcomes. This may be due to limited variation in dosage as home visits were comprehensively provided when participants could not attend group sessions, and fidelity was monitored by the implementers and researchers. One statistically significant predictor after the multiple testing correction was higher fidelity predicting an increase in adolescent-reported maltreatment at follow-up, possibly due to an increase in reporting (incidence rate ratio 1.33, 95% CI [1.19, 1.49], p < 0.01).Conclusions: Our study confirms that a high quality of implementation can be achieved in a low-resource context. Suggestions for future research on parenting programs include examining therapeutic alliance alongside program fidelity and facilitator skill as well as systematically recording program adaptations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous research has found mixed results on whether the most disadvantaged families benefit as much as less disadvantaged families from parenting interventions designed to reduce child maltreatment, and little in known in low-income settings., Objective: In this study, we test the effects of child, caregiver, household, and community characteristics as treatment moderators of intervention outcomes - child maltreatment and parenting practices. We test characteristics previously examined elsewhere as well as factors relevant to the South African context., Participants and Setting: This analysis includes adolescents (ages 10-18) and their caregivers (N = 552 pairs) who participated in a randomised trial of a parenting programme in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa., Methods: Data from the caregiver and adolescent standardised questionnaires collected at baseline, post-test (1-month post-intervention), and follow-up (5-9 months) were analysed using longitudinal multilevel analyses. We tested seven hypothesised moderators for each of the primary outcomes through interactions of treatment effect with baseline moderators., Results: No moderator effects were statistically significant after correcting for multiple comparisons testing. Hence, in line with several recent studies examining moderation effects in parenting programmes, our study suggests that parenting interventions aiming to reduce child maltreatment and promote parenting skills in low- and middle-income countries may be similarly effective for families facing various levels of economic, social, and health risk factors., Conclusions: It may be useful to explicitly power trials for testing moderator effects, study different types of moderators and use person-centred analyses to further understand variations in treatment effects., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The first author (Shenderovich) worked as a project manager on the randomised trial described in the paper and drew on this research as part of her PhD under the supervision of the second and third authors. The second author (Cluver) was involved in developing the Sinovuyo Caring Families Programme for Parents and Teens, which is licensed under a Creative Commons 4.0 Non-commercial No Derivatives license. Other authors declare no financial relationships with any organisations that might have an interest in the submitted work and no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This paper recognizes that sexuality is shaped during childhood and that prevailing views on disability and the proper conduct of sexual relations within society are critical in forming the sexuality of people with disabilities. This paper reports on a research project carried out in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa that examines the viewpoints of two communities on disability in childhood and its implications for sexuality of people with disabilities. A Q methodological study was undertaken in two study areas and 6 factors from these studies are interpreted and related to the literature. The findings reveal that there is an emerging discourse of resilience and engagement in positive relationships. However, the high levels of stigma and negative attitudes toward people with disabilities limit the development of healthy sexuality. The implications of these findings for sexuality education are highlighted with an emphasis on balancing the need for protection with that of participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on more than 26 years' experience of working with sex offenders in both community-based and prison contexts in South Africa. It emphasises that available information and research on the characteristics of sex offenders and effective interventions remain limited in South Africa. However, the paper focuses on the argument that perpetrators of child sexual abuse can be managed by consolidating what is known nationally with international opinion. It also highlights that international, research-based evidence on the most effective approaches to assessment and management of sex offenders can be used in South Africa. In this way it is possible to lay the foundations for sound policies and practices locally that can provide an effective response to the present escalation in sexual violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most studies rely on cross-sectional retrospective reports from adult samples to collect information about adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to examine relationships with adult outcomes. The problems associated with these reports have long been debated, with only a few studies determining their reliability and validity and fewer still reaching consensus on the matter. This paper uses repeat prospective and retrospective reports of adverse childhood experiences from two respondent sources in the South African Birth to Twenty Plus (Bt20+) cohort to explore agreement and concordance in the prospective reporting of ACEs by caregivers and respective children as adolescents and then as young adults. The findings demonstrate little overall agreement between prospective and retrospective accounts of childhood experiences, with 80% of kappa values below the moderate agreement cutoff (k = .41). The highest levels of agreement were found between prospective and retrospective reporting on parental and household death (kappas ranging from .519 to .944). Comparisons between prospective caregiver reports and retrospective young adult reports yielded high concordance rates on sexual and physical abuse and exposure to intimate partner violence (91.0%, 87.7% and 80.2%, respectively). The prevalence of reported ACEs varied with the age of the respondent, with adolescents reporting much higher rates of exposure to violence, physical and sexual abuse than are reported retrospectively or by caregivers. This variation may partly reflect actual changes in circumstances with maturation, but may be influenced by developmental stage and issues of memory, cognition and emotional state more than has been considered in previous analyses. More research, across disciplines, is needed to understand these processes and their effect on recall. Long-term prospective studies are critical for this purpose. In conclusion, methodological research that uses a range of information sources to establish the reliability and validity of both retrospective and prospective reports ‒ recognizing that the two approaches may fundamentally answer different questions ‒ should be encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood emotional abuse (CEA) and childhood emotional neglect (CEN) are the least well-studied forms of childhood maltreatment due to challenges in their definition and in detection. However, the available evidence suggests associations with multiple adulthood mental health problems in clinical and non-clinical populations. This systematic review and meta-analysis (PROSPERO registration number CRD42020197833) explored the associations between CEA and CEN and a range of adulthood mental health problems based on systematic searches of eight databases. In total, 79 English and 11 Chinese studies met our inclusion criteria. Results suggested that CEA and CEN had positive associations with various adulthood mental health problems (d = 0.02–1.84), including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, suicidal ideation or attempts, personality disorders, eating disorders, and other psychological symptoms in the general population and across different geographic regions. Furthermore, findings suggested that compared with the non-clinical population, individuals in clinical populations were more likely to have experienced emotional abuse and neglect during childhood. The review highlights the need for more research on emotional abuse and emotional neglect. Furthermore, future research should include more populations from non-western countries and non-college populations. They further underline the importance of addressing issues related to CEA/CEN experiences in the prevention and treatment of mental health issues in adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child abuse (CA), which includes child sexual abuse (CSA), affects many children in South Africa. The true magnitude of this problem is not fully comprehended or comprehensively reported, as many of CA cases are not reported or disclosure is delayed. It was therefore vital to obtain pertinent, relevant and uniform information for the effective management of the situation. Firstly, this paper critically reflects on and evaluates findings gained from a literature review conducted to identify issues regarding the direct management and support of abused children who are seen in emergency departments at hospitals or clinics. Secondly, it reflects personal insight from first-hand experience in working with CA victims in an emergency department setting. A systematic search regarding psychological assessment protocols used when dealing with child abuse cases in the emergency departments was conducted using various databases. The study provided insight into international trends that can be applied to circumstances that prevail in a South African context. Based on this study and personal experience, a guideline is tendered regarding the development and implementation of a psychological intervention strategy that could supplement the medical triage currently used in emergency departments. It is with the unique South African context in mind that this simple three-phase psychological intervention strategy is proposed in order that all role players acquire a uniform guideline in obtaining precise and relevant documented information regarding the victim, the situation and the support systems relevant to the incident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interventions to prevent rape perpetration must be designed to address its drivers. This paper seeks to extend understanding of drivers of single and multiple perpetrator rape (referred to here as SPR and MPR respectively) and the relationships between socio-economic status, childhood trauma, peer pressure, other masculine behaviours and rape. Method: 1370 young men aged 15 to 26 were interviewed as part of the randomised controlled trial evaluation of Stepping Stones in the rural Eastern Cape. We used multinomial to compare the characteristics of men who reported rape perpetration at baseline. We used structural equation modelling (SEM) to examine pathways to rape perpetration. Results: 76.1% of young men had never raped, 10.0% had perpetrated SPR and 13.9% MPR. The factors associated with both MPR and SPR (compared to never having raped) were indicators of socio-economic status (SES), childhood trauma, sexual coercion by a woman, drug and alcohol use, peer pressure susceptibility, having had transactional sex, multiple sexual partners and being physically violent towards a partner. The SEM showed the relationship between SES and rape perpetration to be mediated by gender inequitable masculinity. It was complex as there was a direct path indicating that SES correlated with the masculinity variable directly such that men of higher SES had more gender inequitable masculinities, and indirect path mediated by peer pressure resistance indicated that the former pertained so long as men lacked peer pressure resistance. Having a higher SES conveyed greater resistance for some men. There was also a path mediated through childhood trauma, such that men of lower SES were more likely to have a higher childhood trauma exposure and this correlated with a higher likelihood of having the gender inequitable masculinity (with or without the mediating effect of peer pressure resistance). Discussion: Both higher and lower socio-economic status were associated with raping. Prevention of rape perpetration must focus on changing men’s gender ideals, entitlements and inequitable practices. Reducing poverty and adverse childhood experiences should also be of benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mandatory reporting laws are a controversial mechanism that require members of particular occupations to report cases of serious child maltreatment that they encounter in the course of their work to welfare or law enforcement agencies. In April 2019 a video went viral in which a woman filmed her colleague beating toddlers at a crèche in Gauteng. The crèche was closed, and arrests were made, including of the videographer. Given extent of violence and abuse against South African children, this paper investigates whether South African law adequately provides for the liability of those compelled to report child abuse but who fail to do so, why mandated reporters fail to report abuse, and how South Africa's mandatory reporting rules should be amended to better serve their purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood sexual and physical abuse have been linked to adolescent and adult risky sexual behaviors, including early sexual debut, an increased number of sexual partners, unprotected sex, alcohol and drug use during sex and sexual violence. This paper explores these relationships among both men and women who report histories of childhood abuse from representative samples of communities in three countries in southern and eastern Africa (South Africa, Zimbabwe and Tanzania). Data were collected as part of a 3-year randomized community trial to rapidly increase knowledge of HIV status and to promote community responses through mobilisation, mobile testing, provision of same-day HIV test results and post-test support for HIV. The results indicate that reported childhood sexual and physical abuse is high in all three settings, also among men, and shows strong relationships with a range of sexual risk behaviors, including age at first sex (OR -0.6 (CI: -0.9, -0.4, p < 0.003)-among men, OR -0.7 (CI: -0.9, -0.5, p < 0.001)-among women), alcohol (OR 1.43 (CI: 1.22, 1.68, p < 0.001)-men, OR 1.83 (CI: 1.50, 2.24, p < 0.001)-women) and drug use (OR 1.65 (CI: 1.38, 1.97, p < 0.001)-men, OR 3.14 (CI: 1.95, 5.05, p < 0.001)-women) and two forms of partner violence-recent forced sex (OR 2.22 (CI: 1.66, 2.95, p < 0.001)-men, OR 2.76 (CI: 2.09, 3.64, p < 0.001)-women) and ever being hurt by a partner (OR 3.88 (CI: 2.84, 5.29, p < 0.001)-men, OR 3.06 (CI: 2.48, 3.76, p < 0.001)-women). Individuals abused in childhood comprise between 6 and 29 % of young adult men and women living in these African settings and constitute a population at high risk of HIV infection.

Not many case reports of suspected child abuse as assessed solely on skeletal remains are available. Forensic anthropologists have intimate knowledge of normal skeletal anatomy, bone trauma and processes of healing of bone and may therefore be of help in suspected cases of child abuse. Patterns of trauma in juvenile skeletal remains which are suggestive of abuse include fractures in different phases of healing, multiple fractures, typical fractures on ribs and long bones and severe, complicated cranial fractures. The aim of this paper is to report on the findings of the analysis of the skeletal remains of a 3.5 years old boy. Forensic pathological examination indicated that the boy had died from a massive cranial fracture, with multiple injuries present to the rest of the body. After the body had been buried for some time, it was exhumed and we were requested to look for signs of chronic, long-term abuse. Findings included a massive cranial fracture, another fracture in the roof of the orbit, two areas of non-specific subperiosteal bone growth and several untreated carious teeth. No clear healed fracture could be found, except for a possible healed cranial base fracture which stretched transversely across the petrosal bone. This area showed signs of recent bone activity. The court decided that this was not enough evidence of chronic abuse and found the accused guilty of murder but not of chronic child abuse. This case illustrates the difficulty to obtain clear signs of chronic injury on juvenile remains., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

With the anticipated publication of the DSM-5 in May 2013, much reflection and work has been done on reviewing existing psychiatric nomenclature including, but not limited to the field of traumatic exposure. Traditionally, understanding of the psychiatric and psychological effects of trauma have been developed from studies with adults and then applied to trauma-exposed children with some modifications. While this is an important step to understanding the sequelae of trauma in children and adolescents, the adverse developmental effects of traumatic exposures on the rapidly evolving neurological, physical, social and psychological capacities of children calls for a developmentally sensitive framework for understanding, assessing and treating trauma-exposed children. The importance of early attachment relationships in infancy and childhood means that severely disrupted early caregiving relationships may have far-reaching and lifelong developmental consequences and can therefore be considered traumatic. Given the high rates of violence and trauma exposure of South African children and adolescents, the need for a developmentally based understanding of the effects of trauma on child and adolescent mental health becomes even more pronounced. In this paper, we draw on theoretical perspectives to provide a practical, clinically driven approach to the management of developmental trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The definition of a child in African societies varies. From the moment the girl child can talk and walk, she is allocated responsibilities within the family. Westernized cultures view such responsibilities as forms of abuse. Thus, various reports had been written about girl children and had been critical of African societies without acknowledging that Africa is a very large continent. This paper sets out to identify, explore, and present potential areas of abuse of the girl child, for example, female circumcision, child slaves, rape survivors, child soldiers, child prostitution, teenage pregnancy, and arranged marriages. This paper suggests strategies that healthcare professionals could initiate in situations where a girl child is being abused.

This paper describes the development and preliminary validation of the Developmental Trauma Inventory (DTI), which is a 36-item, retrospective, self-administered screen for interpersonal childhood trauma experiences developed specifically for the South African context. Preliminary validation of the inventory was conducted using a sample of 720 school-going adolescents attending a high school in the Durban Metropolitan area (South Africa). Factor analysis produced the best fit for a 10-factor model (emotional abuse, community assault, domestic assault, poverty, witnessing community violence, witnessing domestic violence, indecent assault, domestic neglect, rape, and domestic injury). Contrary to expectations, items relating to loss and separation (e.g. death of a parent) did not produce a clear factor structure. Identified scales had good internal consistency (0.70 to 0.81), low factor inter-correlations, and high concurrent criterion-related validity in the sense that all scales were significantly correlated with scores on clinical measures of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or complex PTSD. These findings provide preliminary support for the utility of DTI in the South African context. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

South Africa has a female homicide rate six times the global average, with half of murdered women killed by an intimate partner. The gendered nature of such murders indicates the need to explore the masculinities of men who kill an intimate partner. This paper explores the childhoods of 20 men who were incarcerated for such murders and draws on 74 in-depth interviews with these men, family and friends. This study found that traumatic childhood experiences increases emotional vulnerability, resulting in their feeling unloved, insecure and powerless. We argue that they adopt violent forms of masculinities to achieve respect and power. Yet, there is no linear relationship between traumatic childhood experiences and adopting violent masculinities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract South Africa has instituted many legislative and constitutional changes since 1994 to combat violence. Regardless of these legislative developments, South Africa has some of the most endemic rates of violence in the world with most of these high rates of violence located within family violence. In response, South African legislation drew from a number of international and regional commitments as well as constitutional amendments to facilitate an enhanced family environment which promoted family well-being and functioning. However, legislatively, family violence is still fragmented in its respective subsets of intimate partner violence, child abuse and elder abuse. Disregarding family violence in the holistic sense, fragmented sectors and efforts to comprehensively and adequately prevent or reduce the rates of family violence. Through a family centered perspective, this paper aimed to review the various legislation used to address family violence within the South African context. Highlights • Fragmentation in family violence has led to a fragmentation of sectors/services. • Collaboration amongst sectors dealing with family violence is needed. • Legislative approaches should lead to family-centered strategies. • A strategic framework is integral for violence reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in drug abuse in South Africa has had major social implications in the country. Problems associated with drug dependency are poverty, unemployment, a heavier burden on the health care system, the disintegration of family systems and drug-related crimes. Another area of concern is the link between drug abuse and child abuse. While child abuse is a crime in South Africa, the law does not consider the abuse of drugs during pregnancy as a crime and research on prenatal drug abuse as a form of child abuse is still limited. The issue of prenatal drug abuse as a crime is controversial, to say the least, since society tends to take two stances regarding the use and abuse of psychoactive substances during pregnancy. The harm reduction approach views prenatal drug abuse as a social welfare issue, whereas the punitive approach views the abuse of substances during pregnancy as a crime. Drug-related child abuse cannot be looked at simplistically by merely assessing the physical damage sustained at birth. Harm done to the foetus may result in lifelong problems for the child. Literature on the subject indicates that drug abuse does cause harm to the foetus but that this level of harm in each case should be individualized. Some studies show that substance abuse treatment during pregnancy has been proved to be effective in both reducing the risk of drug exposure before birth and improving the drug user's parenting skills. The paper highlights the situation in South Africa regarding the problem of drug dependency by pregnant mothers, and makes recommendations for further research on prenatal substance abuse. In addition, a call is made for the development of a drug policy dealing with drug dependency in the pregnant mother. Research is also necessary to determine whether drug policy should bring about the criminalization of substance abuse by pregnant women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dismissal and devaluing of indigenous knowledge during the successive eras of colonialism and apartheid in South Africa compelled the African majority to adopt the colonisers' values, attitudes, language, cultural practices, morality, and institutions. In education, the consequent neglect of sociocultural contexts inevitably influenced the cultural identities of children negatively and disrupted the intergenerational continuity of core values and traditions especially in the early years of development. Early childhood development is acknowledged as the most critical developmental phase when behaviour, attitudes, and values are learnt and retained. It presents an ideal opportunity to impart rich values and social mores, particularly in the current context of moral and ethical decline in democratic South Africa. Local/community resources and positive cultural values and practices can contribute to children's holistic development by building strong foundations for essential prosocial values that are embodied in ubuntu. With roots in African traditional society and philosophy, ubuntu espouses the ideal of interconnectedness and interdependence among people. This article reports on the views of a sample of urban, rural, and semi-rural early childhood development staff and community members on the inclusion of ubuntu values and principles in the early childhood development curriculum. The collective support for the inclusion of ubuntu in the preschool phase suggests the potential for developing socially responsible citizens for cohesive co-existence in democratic South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Network theory promises new ways for conceptualizing, methods for investigating, and state-of-the-art lines of research that will improve our knowledge of mental health in high-risk children and adolescents. This study constructed a symptom network to examine associations between a wide range of trauma symptoms in a sample of children and adolescents (N = 270; M age = 12.55 yrs, SD = 1.19; 67% = Female) who experienced different forms of abuse (i.e., sexual, physical, emotional and neglect). Symptom-pairs regularized partial correlations, with the Extended Bayesian Information Criterion Graphical Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (EBICglasso), were computed to estimate the network structure and centrality measures of the TSCC-SF items. Results show sadness, dissociative amnesia, and sexual arousal to be the most central symptoms in the network, while suicidality was found to be the shortest pathway across all other symptoms (domains). By providing clinicians with specific symptoms to target in interventions, the network framework has the potential to guide and enhance the effectiveness of psychological therapies in high-risk populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abusive head trauma (AHT, formerly known as Shaken Baby Syndrome) is a serious form of maltreatment of young children. It appears to be virtually absent in South Africa, which is puzzling in a country where maltreatment rates are several times higher than the global average. Children under age 3 are most vulnerable to injury or death from shaking. We examined two sources of data to establish whether AHT occurs in South Africa and what the incidence rate is: records of injuries of children under age 3 from a tertiary hospital trauma unit (the ChildSafe database 1996–2015), and autopsy records of deaths of children under age 3 from three Magistrates' Courts in greater Cape Town, South Africa (2006–2016). Of the 52,165 injuries in this age-group in the ChildSafe database, there were only three accounts of shaking, of which only one caused injury. However, the structure of the database made it impossible to identify clusters of injuries that may have resulted from AHT, nor were doctors constrained to indicate whether shaking had occurred. There were no reports of shaking in autopsy findings, although several cases had indications that shaking may have occurred. It therefore remains unclear as to whether AHT is occurring in South Africa. In order to detect shaking in future, we recommend that: (1) the form which doctors in trauma units are required to complete explicitly enquires about this; (2) doctors performing autopsies are provided with a standard protocol that requires them to investigate the possibility of AHT; (3) a prospective study of infants and caregivers be conducted, to establish the incidence of shaking and whether it causes injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Globally, as countries move towards universal health coverage (UHC), public participation in decisionmaking is particularly valuable to inform difficult decisions about priority setting and resource allocation. In South Africa (SA), which is moving towards UHC, public participation in decision-making is entrenched in policy documents yet practical applications are lacking. Engagement methods that are deliberative could be useful in ensuring the public participates in the priority setting process that is evidence-based, ethical, legitimate, sustainable and inclusive. Methods modified for the country context may be more relevant and effective. To prepare for such a deliberative process in SA, we aimed to modify a specific deliberative engagement tool -- the CHAT (Choosing All Together) tool for use in a rural setting. Methods: Desktop review of published literature and policy documents, as well as 3 focus groups and modified Delphi method were conducted to identify health topics/issues and related interventions appropriate for a rural setting in SA. Our approach involved a high degree of community and policy-maker/expert participation. Qualitative data were analysed thematically. Cost information was drawn from various national sources and an existing actuarial model used in previous CHAT exercises was employed to create the board. Results: Based on the outcomes, 7 health topics/issues and related interventions specific for a rural context were identified and costed for inclusion. These include maternal, new-born and reproductive health; child health; woman and child abuse; HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB); lifestyle diseases; access; and malaria. There were variations in priorities between the 3 stakeholder groups, with community-based groups emphasizing issues of access. Violence against women and children and malaria were considered important in the rural context. Conclusion: The CHAT SA board reflects health topics/issues specific for a rural setting in SA and demonstrates some of the context-specific coverage decisions that will need to be made. Methodologies that include participatory principles are useful for the modification of engagement tools like CHAT and can be applied in different country contexts in order to ensure these tools are relevant and acceptable. This could in turn impact the success of the implementation, ultimately ensuring more effective priority setting approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protection of children from harmful online content is upheld in international and domestic legal instruments. In South Africa, children enjoy the right to privacy, freedom of expression and protection from exposure to abusive and exploitative materials when they go online. However, in recent years, many South African children have been involved in creating and distributing harmful and illegal messages through the Internet. This prompts the question of whether the South African legal framework is adequate to protect children and shield them from cyberbullying or sexting. This study re-examines the ability of South African anti-cyberbullying laws to protect children online. Cyberbullying takes many forms, and therefore, this study is confined to sexting--the participation in communicating nude pictures through mobile phones. This study is based on the purposive sampling of several well-known cases of sexting that occurred within the South African schooling environment. The findings of the study confirm the view that South African anti-cyberbullying laws are less effective in curbing children's participation in sexting. In addition, children's creativity with new age-technologies has tended to complicate and undermine efforts to protect the same children from the harms of sexting. The study concludes that many South African parents appear ill-equipped to teach their children to handle safe sexting and to protect these children from becoming victims of the frequently disastrous consequences of sexting, which may even include suicide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rape continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing South Africa, alongside poverty & joblessness that the government is trying hard to eradicate. Transkei region of the Eastern Cape can best be described as deeply rural with bad roads, unclean water supply, limited electricity, few telephone connections, very limited access to transport and health services. Violence including sexual assaults is a common problem in this region. Objective: To highlight the problem of sexual assault, pregnancy, and HIV infection among young girls in Transkei region of South Africa. Case History: This is a retrospective case report from the register of sexual assault at Sinawe Center of Mthatha General Hospital, Mthatha, South Africa. These are reports of two young girls who were repeatedly raped. Histories and findings of the physical examinations are described. Consequences of teenage pregnancies and HIV transmission are discussed. The issue of consent and teenagers' partners' responsibility is highlighted. Solutions to reduce re-victimisation are suggested. Conclusion: There is problem of sexual assaults, pregnancy, and HIV infection among young girls in the Transkei region of South Africa. There is a need to control this epidemic of sexual assaults to prevent HIV spread, and to prevent unwanted pregnancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reporting of male-to-male sexual abuse is associated with stigma and discrimination. It is not only trauma to a child but also to a family. It is under researched and under estimated in a community. Even when abused children have grown up and become adults the abuse remains a painful secret in their lives. This scar of child sexual abuse stays for a life time. It also fuels the spread of HIV/AIDS in society. Objective: To study the sexual abuse among male children in the Transkei region of South Africa. Method: This is a retrospective study, carried out between 2007 and 2011 at the Sinawe Centre of Mthatha General Hospital, Mthatha, South Africa. Results: There were 38 cases of male child sexual abuse (MCSA) reported between 2007 and 2011. There was only 1 case reported in 2007, 3 in 2008, 6 in 2009, 10 in 2010 and 18 in the year 2011. Of these, 3 (7.9%) were 5 years old, 17 (44.7%) were 10 or less years, and 9 (23.7%) were between the age of 11 and 15 years of age. Of the perpetrators 20 (52.6%) were known to the victims, 16 (42.1%) were unknown 2 (5.2%) were family member of the victims. There was delay in reporting. Genital injuries were observed in 8 (21%) cases, and physical injury in only 2 (5.2%) cases. All the victims were HIV negative and post-exposure prophylaxis compliant. Conclusion: There is an increasing trend of male children sexual abuse in the Transkei region of South Africa. It requires urgent attention by the law enforcement authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The policy of apartheid not only fosters conditions conducive to child abuse and neglect, but is in itself abusive. Apartheid policies have led to civil unrest and high levels of violence in South Africa's black townships. Many youth are thus exposed to multiple trauma including witnessing death, being arrested, being beaten, being in exile, and being separated from family and friends. This had led many to develop Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD) although this term is a misnomer in the South African context as traumatic stress is not historic but is current. Treatment programs have thus to be modified to accommodate the impossibility of guaranteeing even the physical safety of patients. They have also to be modified to accommodate the fact that most black youth are totally unfamiliar with the notion of the "talking cure." This paper describes a modified treatment program for PTSD which was developed in working with a group of 60 township refugees. Systematic follow up studies of its effectiveness were impossible as many of those treated have gone into hiding to escape the continuing violence in their communities, a violence facilitated by the ultimate guardian of the child, the State. However there are indications that the program was successful in providing immediate relief.

This paper documents an approach to working with girls in eastern and southern Africa who have been subject to abuse and trauma. It first summarises the key principles of narrative therapy's approach to working with trauma and abuse, and then outlines a workshop that was co-created with girls and young women, based on the 'journey metaphor' and ideas of map-making from narrative therapy/ narrative practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under apartheid in South Africa, the provision of children's services, particularly the investigation and treatment of child maltreatment, was inconsistent and dependent upon the racial category of the child and, as indicated by a survey of different professions involved with children, on the helper's professional identification. One of the first tasks facing children's services workers in the Western Cape Province was to develop a protocol for assessment and intervention in child maltreatment. This paper describes how intervention research (Rothman and Thomas, 1994) provided a ground-up approach that successfully involved all stakeholders in the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mathematical model, populated primarily with data from South Africa, was developed to model the numbers of children affected by maternal HIV, and the number who will experience long-term negative developmental consequences. A micro-simulation model generated two scenarios. The first simulated a cohort of women whose HIV status mimicked that of a target population, and mother–child dyads by way of age- and disease-specific fertility rates. Factors defining risk were used to characterize the simulated environment. The second scenario simulated mother-child dyads without maternal HIV. In the first scenario an estimated 26% of children are orphaned, compared to 10% in the absence of HIV. And a further 19% of children whose mother is alive when they turn 18 are affected by maternal HIV. School drop-out among all children increased by 4 percentage points because of maternal HIV, similarly population level estimates of abuse and negative mental health outcomes are elevated. Relative to HIV unaffected children, HIV affected have elevated risk of poor outcomes, however not all will suffer long-term negative consequences. Interventions to protect children should target the proportion of children at risk, while interventions to mitigate harm should target the smaller proportion of children who experience long-term negative outcomes.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children are the most vulnerable members of society and susceptible to being victims of crime, although the problem is hardly recognized in society. The South African Children's Act of 2005 is a fine piece of law, but its implementation at ground level is a challenge. Long-term poverty in the majority of households and high levels of crime are inherent risks to children's well-being in this region. Objective: To highlight the problem of child homicide in the Mthatha region of South Africa. Case report: These case reports examine three incidents of children being killed by their caregivers. In the first case the child had multiple injuries to bones, with distorted extremities and fractured ribs. The second was an infant decapitated by her mother and thrown into a nearby river. The third, a five-year-old boy, was killed by a gunshot injury to the head. The histories, postmortem findings, cause of death, medico-legal reports and the Child Protection Act of 2005 are discussed in this manuscript. Conclusion: Crime against children takes place in the Mthatha region of South Africa, despite the existence of the Child Protection Act. This Act needs to be strictly implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to evaluate the situation of violation of girls' rights among Grade 9 learners in Johannesburg's high schools, with a focus on how educational psychologists working with these children can help to protect the nurturance and self-determination rights of girls in schools as defined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child. A random sample of 148 girls from 13 urban Johannesburg schools in South Africa, aged between 13 and 16 responded to an open-ended questionnaire. The results showed that girls' rights that were commonly violated were the right to be protected from abuse and harm, the right to privacy and the right to having various freedoms. The major perpetrators were family members, friends and school learners. Based on the results, implications and recommendations for educational psychologists are articulated in an effort to assist with the protection of girls from the violation of their rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical, emotional and sexual child abuse are major problems in South Africa. This study investigates whether children know about post-abuse services, if they disclose and seek services, and what the outcomes of help-seeking behaviour are. It examines factors associated with request and receipt of services. Confidential selfreport questionnaires were completed by adolescents aged 10- 17 (n = 3515) in South Africa. Prevalence of frequent (>weekly) physical abuse was 7.4%, frequent emotional abuse 12.4%, and lifetime contact sexual abuse 9.0%. 98.6% could name one suitable confidante or formal service for abuse disclosure, but only 20.0% of abuse victims disclosed. Of those, 72% received help. Most common confidantes were caregivers and teachers. Of all abuse victims, 85.6% did not receive help due to non-disclosure or inactivity of services, and 14.4% received help: 4.9% from formal health or social services and 7.1% through community vigilante action. Emotional abuse, sexual abuse and female gender were associated with higher odds of help-seeking. While children in South Africa showed high knowledge of available services, access to and receipt of formal services among abused children was low. Notably fewer children received help from formal services than through community vigilante action. Urgent action is needed to improve service access for child abuse victims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to give a criminological assessment of filicide in South Africa against the background of violence in the family. A literature review on the nature and extent of filicide gave an in-depth understanding of violence in the family system. Special attention is given to five filicide cases that made headlines in the South African media. The five children were murdered by either one or both parents. The article identifies potential risk factors such as unemployment, financial strain and substance abuse associated with violence in the family that supports the Social Learning and Social Disorganisation Theories. People learn to act aggressively when, as children, they model their behaviour on the violent behaviour of adults. The article concludes that all deaths from child homicide are preventable. It supports the need for a national response to reduce child homicide rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]