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South Africa anger after girl is 'raped' in restaurant

Wednesday September 26 2018
Rape

Condemning rape in South Africa, which has one of the highest incidences of the vice in the world. PHOTO | BBC

By BBC

South Africans have expressed outrage following the alleged rape of a seven-year-old girl in a restaurant toilet.

A 20-year-old man allegedly followed her into the women's restroom before snatching her and raping her in the men's section, local media reported.

The suspect was arrested at the scene and charged with rape and possessing drugs. He has been remanded in custody and has not yet been asked to plead.

South Africa has one of the highest incidences of rape in the world.

Sexual abuse

The police recorded 40,035 rapes in the 12 months leading to March 31, an average of 110 each day, the fact-checking organisation Africa Check says.

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This is a slight increase on the previous year, which saw 39,828 recorded rapes.
The girl's alleged rape is one of two cases of sexual abuse currently making headlines in South Africa.

Heavy bleeding

In the second incident, a fake doctor allegedly raped a 17-year-old girl at a hospital in Eastern Cape Province hours after giving birth‚ police spokesman Dineo Koena said.

"On Tuesday‚ a man came posing as a doctor. He asked her how she was doing following the birthing experience," he added.

"She complained of heavy bleeding and he said he would check up on her. He then ordered her to undress and then he raped her‚" Capt Koena said.

South Africans have been expressing their views on Twitter on how to tackle the crisis:

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