…as police express concern over spate of child abuse cases
Moroke Sekoboto
THE police service arm, the Child and Gender Protection Unit (CGPU), says at least 120 child molestation cases were reported to the police in just the first three months of 2024.
According to CGPU head, Senior Inspector (S/Insp) Mojabeng Letšela-Mokotjomela, the reported molestation cases involved adults close to the victims, primarily their biological fathers, followed by relatives and close family friends.
“Just last week alone, there were twelve sexual assault cases in the courts. In ten of the cases, victims were young children who had been sexually abused,” S/Insp Letšela-Mokotjomela said in a media post.
“From January to March this year alone, we have had 120 cases of child molestation. Basotho, what have we become? What are we saying about our children’s future?” asked S/Insp Letšela-Mokotjomela.
However, S/Insp Letšela-Mokotjomela said, victims were either scared to report their abusers because they were either threatened with death, or were reluctant to speak out as perpetrators were also their primary caregivers.
If reported to authorities, the victims feared that their abusers would be jailed, which would deprive them of parental care. That alone meant many more cases of child abuse were going unreported.
S/Insp Letšela-Mokotjomela added that other victims went as far as keeping their abuse a secret, because they were showered expensive gifts and promised more luxuries in exchange for their silence.
Others kept silent because they had been threatened with death.
“We are extremely concerned by the child molestation reports we get day and night. The most disheartening thing about these cases, is that abusers are usually biological parents of victims,” she said.
“We have also noted that these days, children are reluctant to report their sexual abusers who are their fathers or relatives. This is because they either promise them heaven on earth; or threaten them with death.
“Children are also scared to report sexual abuse for fear that their primary caregivers would go to jail. They also fear that they would be deprived of care and drop out of school, among other things.
But S/Insp Letṧela-Mokotjomela said that children should be sensitised about the importance of reporting abuse, and taught that when their parents who are their primary caregivers and or guardians go to prison, there were state arms established to ensure their continued care and education.
Most child molestation perpetrators who appeared before court, she said, were people trusted by the children, whom they knew and loved as their primary caregivers.
S/Insp Letšela-Mokotjomela said signs in abused children included loss of confidence, becoming secretive, self-isolating from their peers and family, poor performance at school, looking unhappy all the time, neglecting themselves; and resorting to drug and substance abuse to numb their pain.
“We therefore appeal to perpetrators of these unholy acts to cease them with immediate effect. The public must also be proactive by protecting young children and reporting sexual abuse especially where victims are elderly women, girls, and other marginalised groups,” she said.
Meanwhile, last month Acting Commissioner of Police, Mahlape Morai, described gender-based violence (GBV) as a grim reality in Lesotho, and a societal crisis as exemplified in harrowing statistics of violence against women and children.
According to Dr Morai, so menacing is GBV that 60 percent of children in Lesotho have been subjected to the scourge. Again, one in three women in Lesotho have experienced violence from an intimate partner, creating need for community engagement and transparency in dealing with the scourge.
“In Lesotho, gender-based violence remains a grim reality. Did you know that one in three women in Lesotho has experienced physical violence from an intimate partner? Or that over 60% of children suffer physical abuse?” Dr Morai said.
“These numbers are devastating, and they represent a collective failure on our part. GBV is not just a Lesotho problem but a global crisis affecting women and children worldwide.”
Dr Morai was speaking as the guest of honour at Boiketlo FM’s official launch gala dinner at the ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre in Maseru.
To eradicate the scourge, Dr Morai urged communities to step up and work together. Collaboration between law enforcement and citizens was vital in preventing and addressing such heinous crimes.
“I’m here to tell you that law enforcement cannot solve this problem on its own. We need you—the people—to be our eyes and ears on the ground,” she said.
“We need you to be vigilant, to be aware, to report any suspicious activity. We must break the cycle of silence that has allowed this violence to fester in our society.
“Together, we can make a difference. Together, we can save lives. And together, we can build a future where everyone in Lesotho can live without fear of abuse.”
She had added: “It’s time for us to say, ‘No more!’ to the endemic violence against women and children in our country. It’s time for us to take a stand, to raise our voices, and to fight back against this scourge.”
