Imagine – just for a moment – that we had a well-resourced unit dedicated to child protection, and another dedicated to sex offences.

Imagine that we had a functional sex-offender data base, and properly resourced forensic facilities.

Now imagine that our universities had functional psych faculties in each province that were actively researching violence and sex crimes in every province – then imagine that all communities were able to host and respond to both the units and researchers: how long before we really, really figured out what was going on everywhere, and we could take real steps to change it? Not so long.

But, sure, let’s not do that. Let’s do politics.

As long as it saves the next kid about to die in the dark.

A list for just the last few days: (sorry, have to give some context)

• http://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/three-held-for-teen-murder-1995659
• http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/raped-child-turned-away-at-hospital-1994191
• http://www.iol.co.za/capetimes/half-nude-teen-found-dead-in-toilet-1992595
• http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/missing-mams-girl-found-dead-in-drain-1985018
• http://citizen.co.za/1028136/girl-allegedly-assaulted-after-refusing-sex-with-stranger/
• http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/student-allegedly-raped-outside-maties-residence-20160310
• http://ewn.co.za/2016/03/10/CT-woman-28-raped-in-Newlands-Forest
• http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/navy-officer-to-appear-for-freezer-murder-1996302
• http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/granny-fights-robbers-with-pot-and-oil-1996291