Episode 4: Special Report on Child Abuse in Durban
In this fourth episode of a Special Report on child abuse in Durban, Terence Pillay chats to Dr Shikar Bhugwandeen from the Crisis Center in Phoenix and uncovers a very bleak picture.
Listen to episode four of the Special Report on child abuse below, or read the details under the podcast.
Child abuse in Durban is rife, and the Tutuzela Crisis Center at the Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Phoenix deals with more than a hundred cases a month. Dr Shikar Bhugwandeen heads up this Crisis Center and says the problem is not getting any better.
He says they have a one-stop policy at the centre and apart from being a district surgeon based at the centre; there are also representatives from the South African Police Services and the National Prosecuting Authority.
But despite these provisions, the number of cases they see has not gone down. He says the community has a huge role to play when it comes to the awareness of child abuse case, and they should be lifting the silence and the idea of “I don’t want to get involved.”
Read: Phoenix mum who abused her child speaks out for the first time
The Center is open 24-hours, and anyone with even a suspicion that a child is being abused can approach them for help.
If you missed the previous episodes as well the mom's and biological dad's full interviews, here they are below:
You can email Terence Pillay at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter: @terencepillay1and tweet him your thoughts.
If you are a victim of abuse or have witnessed any form of child abuse you can contact Childline on their toll-free number 08000 55 555.