Every third woman sexually abused as a child, according to a survey conducted by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), which was released this past week. According to the survey, not only has one in three Swazi women experienced a degree of sexual abuse as a child, and additional one in four had experienced physical violence.
This groundbreaking survey was a first to be carried out in a country where ‘anecdotal evidence’ has placed startlingly high numbers of girls are victims of sexual and physical abuse.
The report has not just focused on the current situation, but the frightening look forward for female Swazi children as the number of orphans in the country continue to grow at a substantial rate. The country's growing number of orphans and vulnerable children are ripe for sexual exploitation, a fear which could soon turn to a reality and show even more girls abused than the current survey has reported. One factor for the large scale number of orphans in the country is do to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which UNICEF estimates will leave some 200,000 Swazi children orphans in the next two years alone, this is more than one-fifth of the country's current population.
“Disabled children, children out of school and orphans are some of the most vulnerable groups,” said Jama Gulaid, UNICEF representative in Swaziland. “Poverty and the high prevalence of HIV create high numbers of marginalized children.”
"This is a momentous occasion for children in Swaziland. It is evidenced by what we see in the media each day that children are under siege in Swaziland. This laudable effort by UNICEF and stakeholders will give us confirmation of what needs to be done to protect children and help us chart a way forward to stop violence against children in our country."
The DPM also added that;
"Rape figures have risen nearly 50% since 2004…The Royal Swaziland Police Force's Domestic Violence and Child Protection Unit recorded two child abuse offenses each day in 2006. These statistics drive the point home that this issue is serious and must be put on the national agenda."
The National Study on Violence Against Children and Young Women, concluded that the majority of violence and sexual assault, some 75%, was committed in the home.
“It is not surprising that sexual abuse of girls is a household problem, because Swazis reside in multi-generational homes, usually isolated farms,” said a researcher with the non-governmental organization, Women in Law in Southern Africa's Swaziland chapter. “Relatively few girls are raped by strangers in towns because less of the population resides in towns, and there is a heightened awareness of security there”.
Education is a must in Swaziland if girls are to see an end to the plague of sexual violence that is haunting generations of women and girls. Girls must be aware that both physical and sexual violence is not a normal way to grow up, and thus increase awareness and educate girls on their rights and where they can report abuse.
The case's of abuse in Swaziland are not isolated, they plague many developing countries around the world at such alarming rates, however if Swaziland can use this data to make considerable changes to their social care systems, increase public education and awareness, and work for sustainable change; then they can lead the way for many other nations working to overcome gender based violence and gender inequality. While the survey does not change the currently atmosphere for young girls in Swaziland, it is a start that their silence is being broken, however if no solid action is taken then the survey will be another fruitless effort in the fight against gender based sexual violence.