12-year-old rape victim gives birth A twelve-year-old girl in the Erongo Region recently gave birth to a healthy baby boy whose father is accused of raping her regularly over the course of five months last year.The police yesterday confirmed the suspect is known to them, but he has not yet been arrested, although the manhunt continues.
According to the police, the suspect is accused of raping the 12-year-old multiple times between August and December 2016.
Although she has already given birth, the rape was only reported to the police recently, for reasons not yet provided to Namibian Sun.
The exact birthday of the baby boy was not revealed and the age of the girl at the time the alleged rape took place is also not known.
The Nampol crime report stated the girl was forced to have sex with the man “on numerous occasions under coercive circumstances and impregnated her.”
Social workers at LifeLine/ChildLine Namibia Counselling Centre yesterday warned that the trauma of long-term rape of a young child can cause multiple difficulties for the victim, including issues of self-blame, shame, lack of confidence and a lack of trust in men in general.
The consequences moreover of a child having a child, could also be far reaching.
“The baby has a child as a mother, the mother is not psychologically or emotionally ready to take up that kind of responsibility,” a social worker at the centre warned.
Issues such as child neglect and relationship difficulties between the child and its mother could also feature in future.
Child rape epidemic
Over the past week, Nampol opened at least seven more cases of alleged rape of children and minors, between the ages of four and 17.
On Wednesday, police said they are investigating the case of a four-year-old girl who was allegedly raped in the Omaheke Region by her 19-year-old uncle.
Police this week also opened a new case of alleged rape of a five-year-old girl who was allegedly raped by a 16-year-old teenager in Kavango West.
An adult male was arrested near Outapi on Monday, after he allegedly raped a 14-year-old girl twice and gave her N$20 afterwards as payment.
The suspect claimed he had offered the complainant money in exchange for sex and that she had allegedly agreed.
Police this week said they are investigating an alleged rape of a 12-year-old girl by her biological father, also near Outapi.
Police have not yet arrested the father, who lives in the same house as his daughter, and the investigations are continuing.
Moreover, a 10-year-old girl's family have opened a case of rape at the Oshakati police against a 67-year-old neighbour, who is accused of raping the girl last week.
The man was arrested.
Another case of rape was opened on 2 June in Grootfontein, after a 17-year-old complainant was allegedly raped by a 41-year-old man. The suspect appeared before the court on 5 June and was granted N$3 000 bail. Investigations continue.
JANA-MARI SMITH