School-based care and support for intellectually disabled learners with a history of sexual abuse

Abstract

Sexual abuse of individuals with intellectual disabilities is a worldwide problem. To date, care and support services for learners with intellectual disabilities in South Africa are still a challenge despite robust legislative and policy frameworks that promote their rights, and the availability of agencies charged with responsibility for ensuring quality in-service provision, such as mental health societies. Generally, the nature of school based care and support for sexually abused persons with disabilities is unknown in South Africa due to the scarcity of research covering the problem. South African literature reveals a focus on psychological issues without broadening the research scope to include the quality of care for intellectually disabled learners with a history of sexual abuse. This study investigates the nature and quality of care and support for children with intellectual disabilities who have a history of sexual abuse. A legislative and policy framework that is relevant to people with intellectual disabilities was reviewed, followed by extensive review of local and international literature. A qualitative research approach was adopted to investigate the problem posed. Data were collected by means of focus group discussions. The key informants were 28 teachers who were members of School Based Support Teams (SBST), a custodian of care and support within the school context. The focus groups enabled the participants to relate their experiences without fear regarding the quality of care and support and the challenges that were encountered in the process of care and support provision. The thematic method of data analysis was employed. Findings revealed various challenges regarding the quality of care and support for children with intellectual disabilities who have been sexually abused and discussed the strategies for improvement. Incest and pornography emerged as prominent challenges with regard to child sexual abuse. Most schools in South Africa are supported by School Based Support Teams, Non-Governmental Organisations and School Management Teams, with the first of these expected to facilitate primary intervention in addressing barriers to learning such as child sexual abuse. Lastly, guidelines for supporting children with intellectual disabilities who have experienced sexual abuse are discussed.

Ukuphathwa gadalala ngokwesini kwabantu abakhubazeke ngengqondo yingxaki yehlabathi jikelele. Ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, iinkonzo zenkathalo kunye nenkxaso zabafundi abakhubazeke ngengqondo apha eMzantsi Afrika zisengumngeni nangona imigaqo-nkqubo kunye nomgaqo-nkqubo ophuhlisa amalungelo abo, kunye nokufumaneka kweearhente ezinikwe uxanduva lokuqinisekisa ukubonelelwa ngenkonzo esemgangathweni, njengokusebenza kwengqondo uluntu. Ngokubanzi, uhlobo lokhathalelo olusekwe esikolweni kunye nenkxaso yokuxhatshazwa ngokwesondo ayaziwa apha eMzantsi Afrika ngenxa yokunqongophala kophando olugubungela ingxaki. Uhlalutyo loncwadi olusekwe ngoku eMzantsi Afrika kwiinkonzo zabantu abahlukunyezwe ngokwesini abakhubazeke ngengqondo zibonisa ukugxila kwimiba yezengqondo ngaphandle kokwenza uluhlu lokuphanda lubandakanye nomgangatho wokukhathalela eli qela. Olu phando luphanda ubunjani kunye nomgangatho wokhathalelo kunye nenkxaso yabantwana abakhubazeke ngengqondo abanembali yokuxhatshazwa ngokwesondo. Isakhelo somthetho kunye nomgaqo-nkqubo ofanelekileyo kubantu abakhubazeke ngengqondo saphononongwa, saze salandelwa ngovavanyo olubanzi loncwadi lwasekhaya nolwehlabathi. Kwalandelwa inkqubo esemgangathweni kunye nokuqokelelwa kweenkcukacha kusetyenziswa iingxoxo zeqela. Abafundisi-ntsapho abaphambili babengamashumi amabini anesibhozo (28) ootitshala ababengamalungu eeKomiti zeeNkxaso zeZikolo zabo 'ezikolweni, umntu ogcina ezononophelo nenkxaso kwimeko yezikolo. Amaqela ekugxilwe kuwo enza ukuba abathathi-nxaxheba babalise amava abo ngaphandle koloyiko ngokubhekisele kumgangatho wokhathalelo kunye nenkxaso kunye nemiceli mngeni abahlangane nayo kwinkqubo yokhathalelo kunye nolungiselelo lwenkxaso. Indlela esetyenziswayo yohlalutyo lwedatha yasetyenziswa. Iziphumo ziveze imiceli mngeni emininzi malunga nomgangatho wokhathalelo kunye nenkxaso yabantwana abakhubazeke ngengqondo abaye baxhatshazwa ngokwesondo kwaye baxoxa ngeendlela zokuphucula. Isondo phakathi kwezalamane kunye nemibukiso yamanyala i ziye zavela njengemiceli mingeni ephambili ngokubhekisele kugwenxa lwabantwana ngokwesondo. Uninzi lwezikolo apha eMzantsi Afrika zixhaswe ziiQela zeNkxaso eziSekwe eZikolweni, iiMibutho engekho phantsi kukaRhulumente kunye namaQela oLawulo lweSikolo, eyokuqala kwezi kulindeleke ukuba iququzelele ungenelelo oluphambili ekusombululeni imiqobo ekufundeni efana nokuxhatshazwa kwabantwana ngokwesondo. Okokugqibela, izikhokelo zokuxhasa abantwana abakhubazeke ngokwengqondo abanamava okuxhatshazwa ngokwesondo kuyaxoxwa.

Ku xanisiwa hi swa masangu eka vanhu lava nga Na vutsoniwa I xiphiqo emisaveni hinkawayo. Ku fika sweswi, hlayiso kunwe ni migingriko yo seketela vana lava kumekaka va ri ni vutsoniwa bya miehleketo e Afrika – Dzonga swa ha ri swiphiqo swinene hambi leswi ku nga ni milawo leyi kombetaka nkoka wo xixima timfanelo ,xikan’we ni mitlawa leyi bumabumelaka nkoka wa seketelo eka vanhu lava nga ku tikeriwa emihleketweni.Ntlawa lowu wu katsa hlayiso wa rihanyo ra miehleketo. Maendlele yo hlayisa no seketela ku suka e ka xikolo vana lava nga na vutsoniwa lava xanisiweke hi ti mhaka ta masango e Afrika Dzonga a ya kumeki hi kwalaho kau kala ka ndzavisiso. Vuhleri bya mtsalwa e Afrika Dzonga eka vanhu lava xanisiweke hi timhaka ta masangu ya komba nkoka wa miehleketo ku nga ri hava ku anamisa ndzavisio lowu katsaka nkoka wa mi ntlawa yo hlayisa.Ntsalwa leri ri lavisa maendlele na nkoka wo hlayisa no seketela vana lava nga na vutsoniwa bya mi ehleketo lava nga ni matimu yo xanisiwa hi timhaka ta masangu. Nawu na swinawana leswi hlamuselaka vanhu langa vutsoniwa by miehleketo yi langutisisiwile, laha ku nga tlhela ku langutiwa hi ku kongoma matsalwa ya misava naya laha tikweni. Maendlelo ya ndzavisiso ku kuma vuxokoxoko ku tirhisiwe ku burisana lswi nga katsa mintla way o hambana.Makumembirhi nhungu wa vanhu va nghenelerile eka ndzavisiso lowu .A vahuma eka swiyenge swo hambana leswi katsaka Ntlawa wo seketela ku suka exikolweni.Ntlawa wa va hlayisi lava seketelaka vana ku suka exikolweni.Burisana ku ya hi mintlawa wu pfunetile leswaku lava nga nghenelela eka ndzavisiso lowu va humesela erivaleni ku titwa ka vona mayela na ni mahlayisele ya vana lava. Vuhleri ku twisisia vuxokoxoko ku suka eka ndzavisiso ku tirhisiwa maemdleo lawa ya vuriwaka thematic. Mbuyelo wa ndzavisiso wu komba leswaku kun a swiphiqo mayelana na mahlayisele ya vana lava ngana vu tsoniwa emiehleketweni lava xanisiweke hi timhaka ta masangu ku yisa emahlweni maendlele lawa ya nga pfunaka ya hlamusewirile hi vuenti.Timhaka ta masangu eka vana na vanhu lavakulu kumbe maxaka xikanwe vanakulobye swa onha swinene.Ku nyiketela ku vona timhaka ta masangu eka mavona kule,tibuku kumebe swiya ni moya swa onha swinene eka vana.Swikolo swa ku tala laha Afrika Dzonga swi seketeriwa hi ntlawa wo seketela ku suka eswikolweni,Mintlwa lyi ngariki ya mfumo, Vafambisi va swikolo, laha swi languteriwile leswkau va fanele ku pfuna ku sivelea ku xanasiwe eka va vana hi timhaka ta masangu.Xa ku hetele, Swinawana ku pfuneta ku hlayisiwa vana lavanga vutsoniwa emihleketweni xi kane swi fanele ku vakona leswa swi hunguta ku xanisiwa ka vana.