Police find foetus in backyard drain

Government and society do not do enough to help women and girls who find themselves with an unwanted pregnancy, says Caroline Peters, a gender activist and founder of the non-profit Callas Foundation.

Her comment comes after Manenberg police found a foetus in a backyard drain at a house in Red River Road on Friday October 11.

Manenberg police spokesperson Captain Ian Bennett said police made the “gruesome discovery” after being called out to the scene of a blocked drain.

“Police officers discovered a foetus, which seemed to have been flushed from the main house, and this caused the sewage drain to overflow because of the blockage. An inquest has been opened and no arrests have been made,” he said, adding that the stage of the foetus’s development was not yet unknown.

The reason why women or girls might conceal a pregnancy was “layered, compounded and complicated,” Ms Peters said.

“There is so much judgement and shame around pregnancy when a woman is not married. Women are held to strict moral standards as opposed to men. They are often ostracised by the community, when, for example, they are pregnant and the father is a married man. Meanwhile, it could be that she had the affair for economic reasons.

“Some rely on the ‘blessers’ for help to feed them and their families. In many cases, women feel desperate because of their economic situation. The reality is that in a community like Manenberg, sex becomes a commodity to survive. Survivors of rape and incest can have a disassociation toward their pregnancy, and they might carry with them shame and fear. Victims are often blamed. Mental health also plays a role.”

Abortion is legal in South Africa, but not everyone had access to it, Ms Peters said.

“There are systems that fail women at every level - whether it is socially, economically, legally or emotionally. It’s important to note that societal and systematic failures interject with gender-based violence and economic inequality. There is also still a deeply ingrained cultural stigma when it comes to pregnancy. It’s crucial that we use a tragic event like this to address the underlying issues,” Ms Peters said.

She urged those who found themselves in this position to approach the Callas Foundation in Bridgetown or other organisations such as the Thuthuzela Care Centres, the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children, St Anne’s Homes or Marie Stopes.

Anyone with information about the incident can contact Manenberg SAPS at 021 699 9400 or Crime Stop at 08600 10111.