SOCIAL MEDIA APPS LEAVE CHILDREN VULNERABLE

Patric Solomons of Molo Songololo, a child rights organisation says parents must keep a vigilant eye when it comes to social media apps.

A Woodstock resident claims her 13-year-old daughter was sexually assaulted by a 44-year-old man.

She told PEOPLE’S CHOICE reporter the turn of events and says the stranger managed to get her daughters  WhatsApp contact and posed as a teenager.  The stranger then started stalking her.

According the the resident her sister and her 13-year-old were home  at the time when they saw a strange man on their doorstep.

She said the stranger just came storming inside and headed straight to her daughter and started attacking her.

“Luckily my sister and I were at home to intervene and immediately called for help.

“I am so disgusted and outraged.”

She further says: ” My daughters behaviour has changed drastically after the incident.

“My daughter is currently under-going trauma counselling.”

The Woodstock police confirm a case of sexual harassment and is under investigation.

Child rights activist, Patric Solomons of Molo Songololo says he is appalled by the shocking number of young children being kidnapped, raped and murdered in Cape Town.

He urge parents to always keep a vigilant eye over their children.

“Teenagers between 10 and 14-years are in a developmental stage and during that phase children develop sexual feelings and thoughts.

“During this stage children are very vulnerable and can easily be manipulated.”

“There’s a lot of predators out there.

“Unfortunately people do get aroused by children who falls prey to these heinous crimes.”

Molo Songololo social worker, Charlotte Pankhurst says: “Parents need to have an open communication when it comes to social media.

“They need to be made aware of how to spot dangers on social media and the internet.”

She said one of the main challenges are that parents themselves are not familiar with social media platforms.