A man was caught red-handed while raping a seven-year-old girl in a bush in Phoenix, KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday. The man fled the scene after he had raped the little girl.
According to Reaction Unity South Africa (RUSA), a pedestrian informed the community members after he heard loud screams from the girl calling out for help from the bushes.
RUSA was called to the scene at 15:29, a while after the rape incident of the seven-year-old girl had occurred.
“The pedestrian entered the bush and noticed a man fleeing. He attempted to pursue the individual but lost sight of him in the dense vegetation. The child informed him that the suspect had accosted her in Mawothi- KNZ and forced her to follow him to Phoenix where he raped her. An extensive search was conducted for the suspect. No arrests have been made,” said Prem Belram.
Belram said the Phoenix police have launched an investigation into the rape case.
Here’s what you need to do if you have been sexually assaulted:
Your first instinct would be to change or wash your clothes. Instead you should run to a safe place as soon as possible. You should run to the nearest clinic, police station or to a family member you trust.
- Call the police immediately and go to your local police precinct to report the crime. Ask for a criminal investigation to begin.
- Head to your local hospital for immediate medical care. There they will check for injury and prevent sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy.
- You will be fully examined and samples will be taken. This includes nail clipping, genital and mouth swabs, and possibly undergarments.
- It will be here where they will collect evidence. For the purposes of evidence collection, try to avoid showering, combing your hair, or changing your clothes before going to the hospital.
- A rape kit is used with a serial number on it. The rape kit is provided by the police officer involved in the case. The serial number of the rape kit is linked to your case number.
- Seek medical assistance immediately and do not change clothes, wash, or clean wounds. As with sexual assault, the doctor will make notes and diagrams of your injuries, also on a J88 form.