Repeat child sex offender jailed for raping a boy
By REGINALD KANYANE
12 November 2026 – A repeated child sex offender (32) was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by the Springbok Regional Court for raping a minor boy. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Northern Cape said Ryan Bekeur’s conviction is particularly concerning given his previous conviction for sexual assault on 6 September 2023.
The NPA regional spokesperson in Northern Cape, Mojalefa Senokoatsane said in that matter, Bekeur was sentenced to five years imprisonment, wholly suspended for five years on condition that he was not convicted of sexual assault during the period of suspension. Senokoatsane said the conviction arose from an incident in which he sexually assaulted a minor by touching the child’s private parts.
“The present offence was committed on 7 February 2026, in Vaalwater, near Springbok, where Bekeur and the victim lived in the same neighbourhood. The victim knew Bekeur by his nickname, Jallo. On the day of the incident, Bekeur lured the boy to a tree near a river, where he sexually assaulted and raped him.
“The incident was interrupted by a passerby who noticed what was happening and shouted at Bekeur and the victim. The child subsequently ran home and disclosed the incident to his cousin, who encouraged him to report the matter. He was taken for a medical examination and the findings recorded in the J88 medical report were consistent with the reported sexual assault,” he said.
Senokoatsane further said the Springbok Thuthuzela Care Centre played an important role in ensuring that the child received the necessary support following the incident. He added that through its victim-centred approach, the centre facilitated access to essential services, including medical care, psychosocial support and guidance throughout the criminal justice process.
“This intervention helped ensure that the child was treated with dignity, his rights were protected, and he received appropriate support following the traumatic experience. Bekeur was arrested on 21 February 2026 and remained in custody until the finalisation of the case.
“He pleaded guilty to rape and admitted that he was fully aware of his actions, that his conduct was unlawful and punishable by law, and that he understood the prescribed minimum sentence applicable to the offence. In determining an appropriate sentence, the court considered the prescribed minimum sentence of life imprisonment but found that substantial and compelling circumstances existed to justify a deviation,” said Senokoatsane.
He said the court considered, among other factors, Bekeur’s personal circumstances, the seriousness of the offence and the interests of the community and concluded that 20 years imprisonment was a just and appropriate sentence. Senokoatsane said in addition to the custodial sentence, the court declared Bekeur unfit to possess a firearm in terms of section 103 of the Firearms Control Act 60 of 2000.
“The court further declared him unfit to work with children and ordered that his particulars be entered into the National Register for Sex Offenders in terms of section 50 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 32 of 2007.
“The NPA regards sexual offences against children as among the most serious crimes because of the vulnerability of young victims and the profound and lasting harm caused by sexual abuse. Bekeur’s previous conviction for a sexual offence involving a minor makes the circumstances of this case particularly disturbing,” he said.
Senokoatsane said the sentence sends a strong message that those who prey on children will face serious consequences. He said the additional orders imposed by the court are equally important in protecting children by restricting Bekeur’s access to environments in which he could pose a further risk.
“The NPA commends regional court prosecutor Basil Kock and all role players involved in securing the conviction and sentence. The NPA remains resolute in its commitment to vigorously prosecute sexual offences against children, hold perpetrators accountable and safeguard the rights and dignity of victims without fear, favour or prejudice,” concluded Senokoatsane.
Sexual violence against children “entrenched” and rising across Democratic Republic of the Congo – UNICEF
More than 35,000 cases of child rape and sexual assault recorded nationwide in 2025
KINSHASA/NEW YORK, 30 December 2025 – Sexual violence against children is endemic, systemic, and worsening across the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to a new UNICEF report released today. While conflict remains a major driver, the report shows cases documented in communities across every province and rising sharply since 2022.
As shown in the report, nationwide data compiled by protection and gender-based violence service providers indicate that more than 35,000 cases of sexual violence against children were recorded nationwide in the first nine months of 2025, pointing to a crisis that continues to escalate. In 2024, nearly 45,000 cases against children were recorded, accounting for almost 40 per cent of all reported sexual violence cases – three times higher than in 2022.
These figures point to sustained and widespread harm, with the true toll likely far higher due to under-reporting, as fear, stigma, insecurity, and limited access to services prevent many survivors from ever reporting or seeking help.
"Case workers describe mothers walking for hours to reach clinics with daughters who can no longer walk after being assaulted. Families say that fear of stigma and retaliation often keeps them from reporting the abuse,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Stories like these are repeated across provinces, exposing an entrenched crisis driven by insecurity, inequality, and weak support systems.”
Distinct patterns emerging across provinces reveal the nature of the crisis. Most cases are concentrated in North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri, where conflict, displacement, and weakened protection systems drive extreme risk. But significant numbers are also documented in Kinshasa and the Kasai, where poverty, food insecurity, and school dropout heighten girls’ vulnerability to exploitation and early marriage.
Adolescent girls remain the most affected nationwide, accounting for the largest and growing share of survivors. Boys are also subjected to sexual violence but remain significantly under-represented in reported cases. Children with disabilities face heightened risks, with physical, social and communication barriers both increasing vulnerability and restricting access to care and justice.
In addition to the report’s findings, separate UN-verified data shed light on trends in conflict-affected regions. Recorded cases of sexual violence against children were already high in 2022 and 2023, before rising further in 2024 by nearly 30 per cent. Preliminary data from early 2025 suggest the situation remains acute, with cases reported in the first six months at levels that may represent more than 80 per cent of the total documented last year.
Survivors often face severe physical injuries, unwanted pregnancies, heightened risks of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, as well as deep emotional harm, including fear, anxiety, depression, and social rejection, including exclusion from families and communities. Yet access to lifesaving support remains limited.
UNICEF, along with the government and partners, is working to reach children through survivor-centred services, including clinical care, psychosocial support, safe spaces, and case management. Between 2022 and 2024, the number of child survivors assisted by UNICEF rose by 143 per cent, reaching more than 24,200 children across the most affected provinces in 2024.
However, insecurity and global funding cuts have forced many UNICEF-supported safe spaces, mobile clinics, and community-based protection programmes to scale back or close. By mid-2025, only 23 per cent of gender-based violence interventions were funded – down from 48 per cent in 2022 – putting hundreds of thousands of children, including 300,000 in conflict-affected eastern regions, at risk of losing access to life-saving support.
UNICEF urges the government, all parties to the conflict, civil society, and international partners to:
- End and prevent all forms of sexual violence against children, notably in conflict-affected situations, in line with national legislation and international law.
- Scale up gender-based violence response services equipped to meet the specific needs of child survivors, including safe spaces, clinical care, and mental health support, and facilitate survivors’ safe and confidential referrals to services.
- Strengthen accountability by supporting investigations, prosecuting perpetrators, and protecting survivors and witnesses, as well as strengthening data collection and reporting.
- Increase and sustain investment in expanding protection services and community-based prevention efforts.
“Addressing this crisis of sexual violence requires an immediate response and adherence to international law in conflict settings. Perpetrators must be held accountable, and women and children must have access to protection and support,” added Russell.
Over 79 million girls and women in sub-Saharan Africa subjected to rape or sexual assault as children – UNICEF
First-ever estimates on sexual violence in childhood reveal alarming prevalence, with devastating impact on children
NEW YORK / NAIROBI / DAKAR, 10 October 2024 – More than 79 million girls and women—over 1 in 5—across sub-Saharan Africa have experienced rape or sexual assault before turning 18, a staggering reality revealed by UNICEF's latest estimates. Globally, an alarming 370 million girls and women have faced sexual violence, with the region bearing the highest number of victims.
The first-ever global and regional estimates on sexual violence against children – published ahead of the International Day of the Girl – reveal the scale of the violation worldwide, especially for adolescent girls, often with lifelong implications.
When ‘non-contact’ forms of sexual violence, such as online or verbal abuse are included, the number of girls and women affected rises to 650 million globally – or 1 in 5, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive prevention and support strategies to effectively address all forms of violence and abuse.
“Sexual violence against children is a stain on our moral conscience,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “It inflicts deep and lasting trauma, often by someone the child knows and trusts, in places where they should feel safe.”
Sexual violence against children is pervasive, cutting across geographical, cultural, and economic boundaries, the data show. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest number of victims, followed by 75 million in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia (8 per cent), 73 million in Central and Southern Asia (9 per cent), 68 million in Europe and Northern America (14 per cent), 45 million in Latin America and the Caribbean (18 per cent), 29 million in Northern Africa and Western Asia (15 per cent), and 6 million in Oceania (34 per cent).
In fragile settings such as those with weak institutions, UN peacekeeping forces, or large numbers of refugees fleeing due to political or security crises, girls face an even greater risk, with the prevalence of rape and sexual assault in childhood slightly more than 1 in 4.
“Children in fragile settings are especially vulnerable to sexual violence,” said Russell. “We are witnessing horrific sexual violence in conflict zones, where rape and gender-based violence are often used as weapons of war.”
According to the data, most childhood sexual violence occurs during adolescence, with a significant spike between ages 14 and 17. Studies show that children who experience sexual violence are more likely to suffer repeated abuse. Implementing targeted interventions during adolescence is crucial to breaking this cycle and mitigating the long-term impacts of such trauma.
Survivors often carry the trauma of sexual violence into adulthood, facing higher risks of sexually transmitted diseases, substance abuse, social isolation, and mental health issues like anxiety and depression, as well as challenges in forming healthy relationships. Evidence shows that the impact is further compounded when children delay disclosing their experiences, sometimes for long periods, or keep the abuse secret altogether.
Although more girls and women are affected, and their experiences are better documented, boys and men are also impacted, the data show. An estimated 240 to 310 million boys and men – or around 1 in 11 – have experienced rape or sexual assault during childhood. This estimate rises to between 410 and 530 million when non-contact forms are included.
Persistent data gaps, particularly on boys’ experiences and non-contact forms of sexual violence, highlight the need for increased investment in data collection to capture the full scale of sexual violence against children.
As government leaders and civil society, including activists, survivors, and young people, prepare to meet at the inaugural Global Ministerial Conference on Violence Against Children in Colombia next month, the data highlight the urgent need for intensified global action to combat childhood sexual violence and build a safer future for children worldwide by:
- Challenging and changing social and cultural norms that allow sexual violence to occur and discourage children from seeking help.
- Equipping every child with accurate, accessible, and age-appropriate information that empowers them to recognize and report sexual violence.
- Ensuring that every child victim and survivor has access to services that support justice and healing and reduce the risk of further harm.
- Strengthening laws and regulations to protect children from all forms of sexual violence, including in organizations that work with children, and investing in the people, resources, and systems needed to implement them.
- Building better national data systems to monitor progress and ensure accountability by implementing international standards like the International Classification of Violence against Children.
=============================================================
