In many cases, children brought up by parents with high alcohol consumption experience child abuse in the form of physical abuse, emotional withdrawal, financial exclusion, and in other cases, sexual abuse. A study conducted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) reveals that alcohol is a major contributor of child neglect.
The questions on possible child neglect by drunken parents came under the magnifying glass this week when a 35-year-old Bloemfontein mother appeared in court after being arrested when her nine-month-old baby boy was found crawling in Long Street, Hilton, at 22:00 at night. The baby was not warmly dressed, he was crying and the mother was allegedly found, heavily under the influence of alcohol, at home.
This incident raised questions on children’s welfare in houses where alcohol abuse exists.
“Child abuse is very prevalent in the Free State. As much as 70% of child abuse cases that we deal with are in relation to alcohol and drug abuse,” said Child Welfare Bloemfontein & Childline Free State Director, Marietha Johnson. She further explained that children who have experienced neglect due to their parents’ excessive drinking, have difficulties in learning. They are also not socialised to act and behave in a certain manner and as a result they struggle to get used to the school’s norms and structures.
“Alcohol abuse has drastic consequences with regard to the upbringing of children. In some cases, children experience sexual abuse as parents leave them unattended. Others are born with mental and physical disabilities referred to as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) caused by a mother’s consumption of alcohol during her pregnancy,” Johnson explained.
“It is very difficult to be brought up by alcoholic parents. It places a child in a position whereby he or she is financially excluded. The little money these parents have is spent on alcohol and they neglect their children’s needs as well as their own.”
Rorisang Mahlo (37) shared his memory of being neglected as a child by alcoholic parents. “Whilst growing up in my parents’ care my siblings and I were often not provided with basic needs such as school uniforms or lunch boxes. It was not easy.”
Lerato Tlhapuletsa, the spokesperson for the Free State Department of Social Development, explained that the department ensures the safety and well-being of children subjected to abuse through the intervention of social workers by removing children from offenders and placing them in temporary, safe care. Tlhapuletsa urges members of the public to take immediate action and report cases of child neglect to the police. – Katleho Morapela
katleho@centralmediagroup.co.za