HIV/AIDS, the stats, the virgin cure and infant rape in Southafrica

Recently has been known that in Southafrica a new myth exists: having sexual relationships with a young virgin could cure the AIDS, nothing more stupid like this. Is said that if the virgin is more younger more effective is the cure. It has made that an epidemic of abuse for infected males by AIDS against innocent child girls, meaning in a more widely infection of the sickness. Many of these girls have died due these abominable abuses. Recently in Cape Town, 6 males have abused of a girl of 9 months. This situation are horrible facts than could happen in catastrophic situation. We have to stop this.


FROM SCIENCE IN AFRICA: http://www.scienceinafrica.co.za/2002/april/virgin.htm

HIV/AIDS, the stats, the virgin cure and infant rape

Mike Earl-Taylor

Nearly 60 children are raped every day in South Africa and while experts agree to disagree as to the causes, or whether the pervasive belief in the so-called "Virgin Cure" prevents/cures HIV/Aids is possibly responsible for this deeply disturbing phenomenon, university researcher, Mike Earl-Taylor suggests it could well be a contributing factor, and a major one at that. Moreover, infant rape appears to be unique to South Africa, however, the Virgin Cure is not. 

For an alternative opinion on this issue  enter here

Know the facts of these abuses:

Common salient characteristics in two cases of infant rape:

* The victim is a female infant in the age range five to 18 months, or up to two years, [toddler stage].

* The offenders are male ranging in age from adolescence, middle to old age [50 years, or older].

* The offence is situation specific, infant available and unprotected, moreover, the offence is impulsive, opportunistic, and does not, prima facie, appear to contain elements of premeditation.

* There are single and multiple offenders involved in infant rape, the most highly publicised cases [initially] involved two or more offenders.

* The offence is situated firmly outside the generally, and clinically accepted diagnostic criteria of paedophilia as defined in the Diagnostic Statistics Manual of Mental Disorders [DSM IV].

* The offence is one-off, eg. not serial or repeat as is normally found in paedophilic crimes against older children.

* The offence, by its very nature, causes severe and life threatening injuries to the child.

* The offences, or what is known of them are intra-racial rather than inter-racial, as is common with most incidence of adult rapes.

* The offenders in both cases were known to the child's mother.

* Alcohol and/or substance abuse was involved in both cases, further, in both cases the mothers were under the influence or had consumed significant quantities of alcohol.

* The mother's ages ranged from the late teens to early 20s.

* They [ the mothers] were both single, uneducated and unemployed.

* The offenders were uneducated or unemployed, and share along with the mothers of the infants, appalling and degrading socioeconomic circumstances.

* The offenders had consumed significant quantities of alcohol.

* Both mothers had left their infants to obtain or purchase more alcohol.

* Both rapes occurred during the mothers absence.

* Offenders were members of ethnic group[s] where the pervasive myth in the so-called Virgin Cure as a prevention/cure for HIV/Aids is relatively well entrenched within the cultural belief system.

* Offender's personal histories will probably include abuse, either sexual, physical or both, characterised by abusive and violent behaviour to others, as well lacking as any semblance of sophistication, pathologically devoid of empathy for others.

* Clinical assessment of offenders would likely reveal other personality disorders, such as Antisocial Personality Disorders [ASPD], or, in the case of adolescents, Conduct Disorders - or other evidence of psychopathology.

* Offenders in both cases, no matter how intoxicated, or unsophisticated, would be able to appreciate the dreadful wrongfulness of their actions against a tiny and totally defenceless baby girl.

* Both rapes occurred in the mothers place of residence.

* And finally, it is exceedingly difficult to envisage circumstances that do not amount to serious criminal negligence on the part of the mothers of the raped infants, who were nine and five months-old respectively[5].