The pain and horror of being a rape survivor is unimaginable, it takes immense time and courage to heal from the emotional and psychological scars. But even more heartbreaking is the thought of a young child enduring such suffering. Recently, devastating news emerged about Cwe Cwe, a seven-year-old girl from Matatiele, Eastern Cape, who was assaulted at her school, Bergview College—a place that should have been a safe haven for her and every other child.
According to reports, Cwe Cwe was sent to clean her classroom by herself while waiting for the bus to arrive and take her home. While cleaning, she got tired and “passed out” until the caretaker woke her up when the bus arrived. The little girl stated the last thing she remembered before falling asleep was the smell of “burning tires”. She was drugged, possibly with Phencyclidine (PCP), a substance known for its distinct burning rubber smell and its ability to render someone unconscious.
It’s important to note that this incident didn’t just happen—the victim’s mother recently shared her heartbreaking story on a popular podcast, revealing that the assault occurred on October 14, 2024. She also disclosed that she, too, is a survivor, which is why she’s fighting relentlessly for her daughter. Instead of offering support, the school’s principal, FJ Pieterse, reportedly sent transfer letters and even expelled the child, prioritizing the school’s reputation over justice. In response, the Eastern Cape Department of Education has deregistered the school, and the principal, along with two other individuals, has been named as a suspect. Investigations are still ongoing. As part of the process, DNA samples were requested from the suspects to be compared with the ones found on the victim. While the other two have complied, the principal has yet to submit a buccal sample for testing. The case has gained widespread attention, with over 229,815 people signing a petition demanding justice.
The inhumane act of rape has been something women around the world have been fighting against for centuries, yet somehow, every effort to diminish it has yielded little progress. Every day, we hear bone-chilling rape stories.; Gisele Pelicot, the 73-year-old French woman who was drugged and raped by her husband and over 72 men, 13-year-old Kiran who was gang raped in India and was still stigmatized by her community, the Sudanese women who committed suicide to avoid being raped, the baby rape in Botswana and even more that we do not know about because they weren’t reported.
According to the United Nations, 370 million girls and women alive today have been a victim of rape before they turned 18, and over 650 million globally if we consider the non-contact forms of sexual violence. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest number of victims, with 79 million girls and women affected (22 per cent), followed by 75 million in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia (8 per cent), 73 million in Central and Southern Asia (9 per cent), 68 million in Europe and Northern America (14 per cent), 45 million in Latin America and the Caribbean (18 per cent), 29 million in Northern Africa and Western Asia (15 per cent), and 6 million in Oceania (34 per cent).
South Africa has one of the highest rape rates in the world, with an estimate of over 500,000 cases reported each year. Of these, child victims make up 41%, with about 15% being under the age of 11. This crisis is likely fueled by dangerous myths, such as the belief that intercourse with virgins can cure HIV, as well as deeply rooted cultural misconceptions.
Perhaps the biggest reason our fight against this heinous crime remains futile is the way abusers are treated. They roam freely, facing little to no real consequences—often nothing more than a slap on the wrist. Meanwhile, victims are met with blame and judgment: “Why were you there alone?” “What were you wearing?” There was a case where a victim gathered the courage to report her assault, only for a female police officer to sneer, “So you’re going to act like you didn’t enjoy it?”
This kind of response from society only deepens the victim’s trauma, leaving them depressed, ashamed, and too afraid to speak out. And the more silent they are, the more vulnerable they become, increasing their chances of being trapped in the same nightmare again.
Although Nigeria isn’t ranked among the countries with the highest recorded rape cases, this is largely due to insufficient data. The most recent global statistics for Nigeria’s rape cases date back to 2013. Yet, stories of sexual assault frequently surface on social media and in conversations around us, highlighting that this issue is undeniably widespread across the country.
If we factor in the prevalence of child marriages in the North, the number of victims increases significantly. This is due to statutory rape, which involves non-forcible sexual activity where one of the individuals is below the legal age of consent—the age at which a person can legally agree to engage in such behavior. Essentially, it refers to sexual activities with minors, which compounds the already devastating issue of abuse.
Nigeria isn’t the only country grappling with a lack of data. India, for instance, is notorious for the extreme levels of this inhumane act, including necrophilia. However, due to the severe stigma and condemnation faced by victims in India, many choose not to report their cases. In many instances, even if victims do attempt to report, they are often silenced, sometimes fatally, before they ever get the chance to seek justice.
Stricter penalties should be imposed on the perpetrators. In countries that even enforce death sentences for rapists, these laws are often not upheld. For instance, in the case of 13-year-old Kiran, who was gang-raped in India, her abusers were sentenced to just 25 years in prison—falling far short of true justice. Eventually, these criminals would be free and are likely to commit the crime again. Some time ago, an anti-rape device called Rape-aXe, was invented and patented by Sonette Ehlers, a female South African doctor, but years have passed with no news of it entering production, let alone being available for public sale.
It’s devastating that the people who are the closest to rape victims are often their predators, it is crucial that we educate everyone, (because even boys get raped too) and teach them to keep defensive items like pepper spray or tasers on them at all times. Boys should be educated from a young age about the immorality and consequences of sexual assault in all its forms, ensuring they do not grow up to become predators themselves.
For more intriguing articles, check out this story of a hit-and-run driver who stayed, making calls instead of helping the victim and the Corper who was silenced by the government for speaking up @insidesuccessnigeria for more updates.
Leave a Reply