Communications Agency Group, K Squared, has obtained more than 6 000 signatures to petition the Health Department to institute a policy to hold rape and statutory rape perpetrators accountable.
This policy will compel doctors and medical staff, including medical staff outside the hospital environment, to report pregnancies of minors to the police so that an investigation of statutory rape can be launched.
The group’s Chief Technology Officer, Kekeletso Khena, says the policy should be framed in the same way as the one that was introduced by the Department of Basic Education, which compels educators to make pregnancies of minors a notifiable incident.
“We expect the Department of Health to have the same policy put through for the health care sector for the same reasons. Eventually, this pregnant child must go and give birth, and then somebody should be able to pick up that this child is young, and an investigation should then ensue.”
Khena adds: “Patient-doctor privileges preclude doctors from being able to report pregnancies of minors to the police. And we think that puts children at risk, but more than that, it perpetuates the hiding of statutory rape that is so massive in the country.”
