‘We need to empower children’ – Verulam activist on sex pest coach case
A Verulam community activist says children need to feel empowered to speak out about abuse.
Arlene Cairncross spoke outside the local court where a 57-year-old man accused of raping four boys appeared.
"Especially when it comes to community leaders, coaches and pastors - we are taught not to speak out, and this is a message that we need to send to our kids. They have to use their voices."
It's understood the suspect was the children's soccer coach.
Last month, he was assaulted by community members in Waterloo after a boy told his parents he'd been drugged and sexually assaulted.
READ: 'Soccer coach' arrested for multiple rapes in Verulam
The man's bail application has been postponed to 17 September.
Cairncross, who is from the rights group WomanPact, says communities need more support to fight abuse.
"We have SAPS GBV centres being set up. What we need to do as community members is to make sure that those centres are active. When we have activities such as this, we would like to see those bodies out here so we at least know they are supportive of us.
"As communities, we need to all stand together and say that we are going to keep our eyes open. We can't keep our eyes closed when it is not our child. As much as we can have coaches and sports, and we encourage our kids to go into these spaces, as parents and community members, we need to be present there."
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