'Always believe children who report abuse'
A nine-year-old Chatsworth girl has been praised for her courage after reporting her father to her teacher, after he allegedly raped her.
The 50-year-old man is due to appear in the Chatsworth Magistrate’s Court, south of Durban tomorrow.
He was arrested on Thursday after the school reported the matter to police.
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Mara Glennie from the TEARS Foundation, a non-profit organisation that offers support to the victims of rape and sexual abuse, says children often do not come forward out of fear.
"The first golden rule with dealing with abused children is - always believe them. Children have nothing to gain by lying about it. The first person that deals with an abused child should say 'I believe you, how can I help you? You will get better and you are not alone.' The child will definitely recover better," she said.