Underage rape survivors need immediate counselling - Teddy Bear Foundation

CAPE TOWN - Children's rights group, the Teddy Bear Foundation, is calling for immediate counselling for underage rape survivors.

This after a four-year-old girl was raped by her 66-year-old scholar transport driver at Mfuleni in Cape Town two weeks ago.

In Gauteng, six-year-old Amantle Samane was raped and murdered in Soweto last week.

The Teddy Bear Foundation said that children who were victims of rape tended to lose trust in adults.

Group director, Doctor Shaheeda Omar, said that the minors usually blamed themselves and their self-esteem diminished.

"For very young children, the therapeutic interventions would focus on play therapy validating whatever the child brings to the fore. The other thing is believing what the child has shared, even if the child has not shared it, to actually understand where the child is coming from."

Dr Omar said it was also important for parents, whose children were victims of rape, to get counselling.

"Sometimes children will go for a lengthy period of time for six months to a year, they will stop therapy, and may require interventions at a later stage in life because at each life cycle, there are crisis that child is faced with."

The suspect in the rape of the four-year-old is expected to appear in the Blue Downs Magistrates Court on Wednesday while the suspect in little Amantle's rape and murder in Soweto, was remanded in custody after appearing in court last week.