By Lee-Yandra Paulsen

In light of the recent arrest of a minor child in Bonteheuwel for allegedly perpetrating sexual assault within the community, there’s a pressing need to expand the discourse on the factors that may influence minors to engage in such grave offences.

Tears Foundation intervention specialist Kavya Swaminathan gave some insight into what contributes to child-on-child sexual assault.

“I believe it is crucial to recognize that children are highly impressionable during their early years, and they tend to absorb everything from their surroundings like sponges. Many times when children exhibit negative behaviour, we can trace it back to their exposure to certain things or growing up in an environment that normalizes such behaviour,” said Swaminathan.

She noted that typically, there is a background of abuse; a child who becomes a perpetrator has likely been exposed to and experienced victimization, often inflicted by an adult.
“The children are expressing their trauma or expressing their ‘love’ the only way they know how.”

Swaminathan outlines the signs to watch for in minors who may have experienced sexual abuse.

-Change in behaviour
• Behaviours such as sleep deprivation.
• avoiding the company of people they typically spend time with.

-Extreme case signs of sexual abuse
• Bedwetting
• Young girls can have a yeast infection.
• Urinary Tract infection

Meanwhile, she mentioned signs to note when it comes to a child being a perpetrator:
• View how other children or people interact with them.
• Violent outbursts
• Physical outbursts

“I think minors being impacted by sexual assault is very common. Survivors of sexual assault have to live with the trauma for the rest of their lives. It is just learning how to navigate your life across it.” explained Swaminathan. “If adults struggle to cope with it, children are even more vulnerable to trauma and its effects.”

VOC News

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