Where the streets have no names : factors predicting the provision of counselling and social work services for child rape survivors in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Abstract

Despite high prevalence rates for rape in South Africa, little focus has been placed on the rape of children, and even less on the secondary victimization of child rape survivors. Such secondary victimization may manifest in two forms, namely, negative attitudes and behaviours and the non-provision of essential services. This study aimed to explore secondary victimization in child rape as a result of the non-provision of counselling and social work services, to a sample of 200 child rape survivors, who presented for medico-legal assessment at a state hospital in the North Durban area (KwaZulu Natal, South Africa). Data analysis revealed that only 48.5% of the sample did in fact receive such services. In the majority of cases (20%), services were only provided between 2-7 days after the child had presented for medical evaluation. In addition, the study found that in most cases, service provision was limited to a single intake interview. Service provision was found to be less likely in cases where respondents resided in homesteads (informal or ‘traditional’ housing) that had no street address, or where the child presented at the study hospital outside of normal working hours. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for secondary victimization and secondary prevention programming.