When the topic of child abuse comes up in discussions or on news stories, a frequent response from parents is "if that happened to my child, I'd KILL the person who did it".

Pretty strong words. But, what happens in reality is the opposite: When kids get hurt, the perpetrator is very rarely killed, and frequently escapes even legal repercussions. Kids make poor witnesses, especially traumatised ones.

And the parents? Well, they struggle with the feelings of impotence at being unable to protect their child. There's a trauma which is felt by the parents of an abused child, too.

I must say, I am one of these theoretical killers- and it scares me a little. I'm not violent, but I reckon I'd do anything to protect and defend my children. Of course, I wouldn't want to go to jail for it!

How about you? What lengths would you go to to look after your kids, and do you trust our justice system enough to leave judgment in its hands?

Also, if you consider yourself capable of violence, what would you do to prevent lashing out?

The most important question you pose is this: do you trust our justice system enough to leave judgment in its hands?

Perhaps you should qualify that question - do you include SAPS and Metro in your definition of our justice system?

Taking this into consideration:
Over 70% of our police forces (SAPS and Metro) are functionally illiterate. They are unable to understand even the clear-cut provisions of the Children's Act of 2010 - and you expect them to effectively investigate child abuse cases?

Our judiciary - and that includes the Family Advocate and Social workers - cannot fully comprehend that the maternal preference rule has been superceded by the provisions of the Children's Act, and indeed have shown themselves unwilling to understand and implement said Act fully and impartially - and you expect them to effectively prosecute child abuse cases?

Then:
The short answer is, always has been, and always will be, a resounding NO!


Heck, statistically less than 5% of all serious crimes make it all the way to court - and even fewer of those result in a guilty verdict. So what are the chances of justice (for your child) being served?

The flip side of that coin is, of course, that if you commit a serious crime in the pursuit of justice for your child, you have just as much chance of escaping justice as any other perp out there. It's just a numbers game at the end of the day...


The truth is that it is your DUTY as a parent to defend and protect your children - and that doesn't mean hiding behind the incompetent incumbents of the legal system, or the especially well-documented incompetence of the police, and saying "Well, I did everything I could...", folding your hands and sitting back.

However, remember that the onus is upon you to do everything in your power to PREVENT such occurrences before they do occur.

If the abuser slips past that 'check', then you must do what you must do. Whatever the cost.

But, as the saying goes, that is only MY two-cents-worth...