25/08/2026
Today, we want to talk about something that isn’t easy.
But it is at the very heart of what we do at Oasis Haven:
❤️ Child protection.
And while child protection is at the heart of our work, it isn’t only an Oasis Haven responsibility. It belongs to all of us.
Because what would you do if a child came to you and said:
“Something happened to me.”
Would you know what to do next?
Who to contact?
What to say?
Child abuse doesn’t always leave a bruise.
It can include sexual, physical or emotional abuse, as well as neglect and abandonment.
And it doesn’t only happen at the hands of strangers. A child may be harmed by someone they know, trust or depend on.
The numbers are difficult to ignore.
In 2024/25, 26,852 cases of child abuse and neglect were reported through the Department of Social Development system. These included:
🔴 9,859 sexual abuse cases
🔴 9,485 cases of deliberate neglect
🔴 3,965 physical abuse cases
🔴 595 cases of abandonment
But these numbers only tell part of the story. Child abuse is widely under-reported, meaning the true scale may be much greater.
Statistics South Africa reports that 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 5 boys in South Africa have experienced some form of violence before turning 18.
And research shows that perpetrators are often not strangers.
A national study of reported r**e cases found that 69% of perpetrators were known to the victim. Even more concerning for child protection, the study found that children were more likely than adults to have been r**ed by someone known to them.
Different studies measure different aspects of violence, but together they show why child protection matters.
And behind these statistics are thousands of children who have needed more than just intervention — they have needed a safe place to live.
The latest nationally reported figure we can substantiate recorded more than 15,500 children living in registered Child and Youth Care Centres (CYCCs) across South Africa.
This is not a current 2025/26 headcount, but it gives us an important picture of the scale of children who have needed formal alternative care and protection.
These are not just numbers.
They are children who, for a range of reasons, could not safely remain in their previous care circumstances — and who needed the protection, care and support of the child protection system.
At Oasis Haven, we are privileged to be part of that system.
But protecting children cannot rest on CYCCs, social workers or government alone.
We all have a role to play.
We need to recognise concerns.
We need to listen when children speak.
We need to take them seriously.
And we need to know where to turn when we are worried about a child.
You don't need to have all the answers.
If something doesn't feel right, don't ignore it. Reach out to someone who can help.
Sometimes, the person a child chooses to tell may be the person who helps them get the protection they need.
👀 SEE IT. REPORT IT. STOP IT.
We've put key facts — and simple steps on what to do when you are concerned about a child — in the posters below.
Please read them. Save them. Share them.
You never know when you may need this information. ❤️
References
Department of Social Development (2025) Annual Report 2024/25. Pretoria: DSD.
Statistics South Africa (2025) Mbalo Brief: Child abuse and neglect. Pretoria: Stats SA.
Machisa, M. et al. (2017) R**e Justice in South Africa (RAPSSA). Pretoria: SAMRC.
Department of Social Development (2022) Children in registered Child and Youth Care Centres. Pretoria: DSD.
