GUIDELINES FOR PRESENTING TOPICS
Some possible responses to Handout 5 1. Speak Out! Extract 1 pages 18–19: Report abuse to the police. This advice is especially useful for helping children who have been abused at home or in the community, including younger learners, although it applies to all cases of sexual violation or rape, i.e. cases where the abuse must be reported to the police. Speak Out! Extract 2 page 20: Report abuse at school: If the abuser is an educator. This advice could apply to cases involving learners of both genders and all ages, but it applies to teenage girl learners and male teachers most frequently. Note that there needs to be a school (internal) process for possible discipline and/or dismissal of the educator, and an external criminal process, i.e. reporting to the police, possibly laying a charge, etc. Note that educators are legally required to report colleagues who abuse learners. Speak Out! Extract 3 page 21: Report abuse at school: If the abuser is a learner. Again, this extract sets out both the internal school process and the requirement to go to the police for serious offences. The educator could help the learner write a letter, or an incident form (see samples from the National School Safety Framework on pages 73–74 of this manual) could be completed. This could apply to learners of all ages. Speak Out! Extract 4 pages 22–23: Speak out! Against rape! This extract focuses mainly on reporting rape to the police, being prepared for the medical examination, getting medical treatment and tracking the case. It applies to all ages of abused learners.
2. & 3. The support capacity at school and in the community may be discussed. Does the school have designated educators for dealing with abuse cases? Does the school have counselling capacity? Does the school have a school safety or support team? Does the local South African Police Service office deal effectively and sensitively with cases, or is there secondary abuse? Similarly, are local health workers and social worker(s) effective and sensitive in handling cases? Has the school established a support network and investigated further support capacity if needed (e.g. local non-governmental organisations and community-based organisations)?
4. • You could refer participants to all Speak Out! extracts. • If they think that a child has been raped, educators have to inform the police. • Educators have a responsibility to investigate all learners’ complaints of sexual abuse. Guidelines suggest that this be done by a team of designated educators at school. • Parents of the abused learner and (if relevant) abusing learner must be informed. • Educators must help learners to report sexual abuse. • They must believe the learner, comfort them and organise counselling. Note: Educators cannot conduct a criminal investigation or offer professional counselling but they can observe learners, help them report cases, help with internal investigations and help to build a caring and supportive school and classroom culture.
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