DA calls for action on sexual assault amid high teen pregnancy rates

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for serious consequences for perpetrators of sexual assault in the country.

The call follows the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) revelation that South Africa has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy globally.

Nearly one in four girls fall pregnant before turning 20 in the country.

The DA’s Deputy Spokesperson on Social Development Alexandra Abrahams says, “We, as the DA, are shocked and very alarmed by the statistics and they do seem to be increasing.”

“We need to be asking ourselves the question of the 2716 young girls between the ages of 10/14, how many of those cases have been reported to the police? How many convictions do we have from those cases because one of the solutions to solving this crisis there needs to be serious consequences for the perpetrators. We need to talk about lengthy jail time so that perpetrators will think twice before committing these crimes,” Abrahams adds.

VIDEO: Activist Joan van Niekerk weighs in on the rising cases of teenage pregnancy:

-Reporting by Ntombi Mavimbela.