HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Human trafficking is a multi-billion dollar business estimated to be worth at least US$7 billion a year, the third largest profitable trade after drugs and weapons and that according to Britain's National Crime Agency, increased by 22% in 2013.

A recent report published by News24.com states that human trafficking in South Africa is real and it is happening right now. Men, women and children are victims of human trafficking with children being snatched from poor rural areas and moved between urban centres. Girls are subjected to sex trafficking and domestic servitude, while boys are forced into street vending, food services, begging, agriculture and criminal activities. The 22% increase in the number of victims has been partly attributed to improved identification of victims.

In South Africa, children do not carry any form of identification until they are 16 years old. They have no fingerprints or DNA samples on record, nor are any photographs of the child available to make for easier identification. Consequently when a child goes missing, it is extremely difficult for the authorities and welfare institutions to identify victims, most of whom are too scared or frightened to come forward in fear of reprisals from their captors.

Many children are lured away by strangers, but family members and other people they may know are also complicit in some cases. Once a child goes missing, they can be taken anywhere. South Africa's borders are notoriously porous and can be taken advantage of by the large international trafficking rings such as the Nigerian sex syndicates in Hillbrow, and Russian and Bulgarian syndicates in Cape Town. These syndicates are extremely well organised and are able to acquire false passports, documents and visas.

For the parents of a missing child, the realisation that their child has gone missing is a terrifying moment. They panic, cannot recall details, wander around aimlessly and are incoherent. Without any means of being able to identify the child, the prospects of locating that child within the first 24 hours is pretty much hopeless.

How do we help circumvent this? Part of the answer lies in educating the child about the dangers of associating with strangers while another part is to provide the parents with a child photo identification kit that records the child's physical attributes, fingerprints and DNA. Once the parent realises that their child is missing the ID kit can be handed to the police who can initiate search plans immediately. The next issue of Childsafe NEWS will introduce the RainbowStar Child Identification kit and ID card to readers. In the meantime you can visit the RainbowStar Child Safety website at . www.childsafetysa.co.za

P2&3: Buckle-Up

P1: P4:

NEWSDECEMBER 2014 ISSUE NO.90

CHILD ACCIDENT PREVENTIONFOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

NEWSLETTER OF THE CHILD ACCIDENT PREVENTION

(CAPFSA)

FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN AFRICA

ISSN: 1561-9648

Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital

Highlights Stranger Danger - Part 1

Stranger Danger - Part 1

BUCKLE-UP THIS FESTIVE SEASON

The risk of accidents/injuries occurring rises considerably during holiday periods. The year-end holidays are an exciting time of year for children, and to help ensure they have a safe holiday season, here are some tips from Childsafe South Africa.

CHILDSAFE NEWS2December 2014

ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER

The Childsafe News is also available in PDFFormat, if you would like to receive anelectronic version of the quarterly newsletterplease email your details

tocapfsa@pgwc.gov.za

StoneHouse Litho

Yumna Abrahams

PRINTINGANDLAYOUT

Tel:(021) 685 5208

DISTRIBUTION

Fax:(021) 685 5331E-mail: capfsa@pgwc.gov.za

http://www.childsafe.org.za

CONTRIBUTORS

Prof AB (Sebastian) van As

Pumla MtambekaChiedza Mavengere

Do you have any safety news, information

Dorothy Schulman

or comments?

Write to: The EditorChildsafe NewsP.O. Box 791Rondebosch7701 Cape TownSouth Africa

NEWS

Opinions expressed in the Childsafe are not necessarily those of theNEWSChild Accident Prevention Foundation of Southern Africa

Buckle-Up

Some Helpful TipsŸ Many people tend to regard the safety of children in motor vehicles as minor, but

this should not be the case. Parents should not allow their children to travel in motor vehicles this holiday without being strapped in an approved restraint or seatbelt. We would like to stress the import ance of buckling-up children for every trip and not just during holidays.

Ÿ Before you set out on your vacation, always have your vehicle serviced ( including your caravan or trailer ). Check all the tyres ( including the spare ), brakes, shock absorbers, lights, steering, etc. Always travel with emergency equipment. For example, basic tools; jack, spare fan belt, First aid kit and fire extinguisher.

Ÿ It is important to plan your route beforehand.

Ÿ Always allow time to stop and visit interesting places and allow time for rest stops every couple of hours.

Ÿ Lock all doors of the car. Use the child safe lock for babies and toddlers.

Ÿ Stop frequently so that the children can stretch their legs and take them out of their seats for a while.

Ÿ If you stop along the road , always keep an eye on children. They can be impulsive, because it is new surroundings, they could do anything without warning.

Ÿ Always buckle children up in SABS approved child restraint systems or seatbelts when travelling in motor vehiches. There are different restraints for different age group. Remember when children of five years and older have outgrown their car seats they should then travel on a booster seat or booster cushion as three point seatbelts are only suitable for children with a weight of 36 kg and over ( approximately 10/11 years ).

Ÿ Mom’s lap is normally the most popular place for a baby to be held, this is unsafe in a motor vehicle. In a collision, a mother weight could seriously injure or even kill the baby against the dashboard or windsheild. The force of impact will make the child 3 times its own weight-no matter how strong the mother is, she will be unable to hold onto the child.

Ÿ Keep heavy or sharp objects in the boot and only allow soft toys inside the car.

Ÿ Drivers distracted by unresrtained children cause collisions.

Ÿ Children imitate adults-make sure all passangers set a good example by buckling up.

CHILDSAFE NEWS3December 2014

Childsafe believes that car seats, booster seats and seat belts save lives,therefore BUCKLE-UP!!

Ÿ An adult is guilty of a criminal offence if he should allow a child younger than 14 years to travel unrestrained in a vechicle equipped with seatbelts or child restraints.

Ÿ DO NOT DRINK and Drive !!!Which child restraint is right for your child?Infant car restraint ( birth to 9 months or 1 year / 0 - 10 kgŸ The safety seat is strapped directly into ( preferable ) a rear

seat using a three point adult seat belt.

Ÿ These cannot be used in a seat with an airbag as the bag can cause serious injury if deployed.

Ÿ It is safest to fit the safety seat in the rear of the car but the seat must be rear facing at all times so that in a collision the impact will be felt by the safety seat and not your baby.

Ÿ Your baby must be securely held in the safety seat by the harness.

Child car restraint ( birth to 4 or 5 years of age/0-18 kg )Ÿ Seats should face the rear of the car until the infant weighs around 10kg or is 9 months old.Ÿ Installation of these seats may vary from seat to seat- some are used with three point adult seatbelts, lap belts or

special anchorage straps.Ÿ Always follow the manufacturer’s instruction on how to fit the seat.

Booster seats ( +- 4 to 6 years/13-25 kg )Ÿ These safety seats are light and versatile and can only be secured with a three-point adult safety belt.Ÿ They can be used in the front ( not with an airbag ) or rear seat with adult seatbelt, but preferably on the backseat.

Booster cushion ( +- 6 to 11 years/22-36 kg )Ÿ It will help position the seatbelt correctly and improve the child’s view from the car.Ÿ Always use with a three-piont adult seatbelt ( back or front ).Ÿ Use this until the child is big enough to wear a seatbelt - usually at 10 years ( 36 kg ).

Seatbelts ( +- 10 to 11 years/36 kg )

Ÿ The shoulder belt must fit correctly with the shoulder belt going over the child’s shoulder and across the middle of the chest. The belt should not touch the neck. The lap belt should sit over the hip bones, below the child’s bell area. The child’s knees should reach the edge of the seat comfortably ( three-point seatbelts are the safest ).

Ÿ Lap belts are better than no belts at all.

Set a good example and always wear your seat belt and never use the excuse that a car seat costs too much as several second-hand shops sell them at very reasonable prices.

highlights:

Childsafe South Africa has had an exceptionally fruitful year in 2014, below are some of the

Ø Child Safety Month and AGM

Opening of the Woolworths Childsafe Research and Educational Centre

Ø Safe Travel to School Launch

Ø

CHILDSAFE NEWS4December 2014

Three good reasons why you as an individual or parent, school or organisation/company should become a member of CHILDSAFE a campaign of The Child AccidentPrevention Foundation of Southern Africa (CAPFSA)� Injuries are the biggest killer of children between the ages of 5 and 14 years.� Your membership will actively contribute towards preventing unnecessary,

costly accidents in our country.� As a member you will be kept up to date on current issues and resources related

to child safety

Levels of MembershipRegular Annual R100Bronze Annual R500Silver 2 Years R5 000

Childsafe has also devised a package for Honourable Membership, for those whowish to become Gold, Diamond or Disa Members of The Foundation. For furtherinformation contact us.I would like to become a“Friend of the Foundation”Minimum R25

I would like to become a member of the Foundation (includes newsletter)

Regular Bronze Silver Gold

� I would like a years subscription to the“Childsafe NEWS”R30 annually� I would like to receive more information on the activities of the Foundation� I would like to become a project sponsor, please contact me� I would like to do voluntary work for the Foundation

Title: Prof/Dr/Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss

Name: ……………………………………………………………………………………................

Organisation/Institution/Company: ………………………………………………………

Postal address: ………………………………………………………………………….….........

Telephone: Home: ………………Work:………………Cell:……………………………...

Fax:…………………………….......... E-mail:…………………………………………………...

Total payment enclosed: R…………………………… Date:…………………………….

Membership gives you access to:� CAPFSA’s statistical information on child injuries� Automatic subscription to the Quarterly Newsletter–Childsafe NEWS� Certificate to confirm Membership� Safety educational materials such as videos, leaflets and other materials at

substantial discount� Other benefits–safety leaflets and posters on request (When available)

Return this information to Childsafe, a campaign of The Child Accident PreventionFoundation of Southern Africa, P.O. Box 791, Rondebosch, 7701 or capfsa@pgwc.gov.za

KOVSSA/CAPFSA BANKING DETAILSAccount holder name: KOVSSA / CAPFSAType of account: ChequeBank: Standard BankBranch: Rondebosch (025-009)Account Number: 270590897

Telephone: (021) 685 5208Fax: (021) 685 5331E-mail: capfsa@pgwc.gov.zaWebsite: http://www.childsafe.org.za

Invitation tobecome amember!

Highlights2014 Highlights

Ø Safe Travel to School Launch

Ø Safe Schools Project Launch