New research has exposed what it's like to be a child living in South Africa - and it paints a gloomy picture.The research, conducted in three Gauteng townships, provides a snapshot on the horrific health and safety conditions of many of South Africa's children.The report by activist organisation Afrika Tikkun follows closely the Sexual Victimisation of Children in South Africa document which revealed that one in every three children in the country were likely to be victims of sexual abuse by the age of 17.Afrika Tikkun's report focuses on the safety concerns of children at school, access to youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services, safety and sanitation for girls and women and violence affecting children and youth.The research looked at children and youth in Diepsloot, Alexandra, Hillbrow and Orange Farm.The report found:59% of pupils in Diepsloot experienced corporal punishment, which is banned in South Africa;34% of Diepsloot pupils were involved in fights at school, 15% were injured by knives, sticks, broken bottles, pangas and nail clippers;51% of Diepsloot pupils were bullied at school, 22% skipped school because of it;Only 31% of young urban women in Hillbrow can access contraceptives, with others turned away;35% of young women and girls in Alexandra experience assault, rape or harassment when they use outdoor toilets;79% of young women and girls in Alexandra avoid toilets at night; and,98% of women in Alexandra are afraid to go out at night.The report said a number of teenagers were turned away from family planning centres because they were "too young to ask about contraceptives".Of the 630 disabled children and youth registered with Afrika Tikkun, rape and sexual assault were the most common forms of violation disclosed by the children, with most incidences occurring at school."Only three cases were prosecuted."The report said16 of the disabled children experienced sexual abuse, two emotional abuse, two physical abuse, one neglect, one child was married off at the age of 15 to an older man and one was kidnapped.The document said in three rape cases, the victims endured multiple incidents, while in two the victim was gang-raped."Just one of the 12 rape victims received HIV prophylaxis," Jean Elphink, Afrika Tikkun's general manager, said. "We always hear the rhetoric of authorities engaging people on the ground, but you never really hear the voice of the people on the ground, the ones who experience the problems."With research into such problems usually conducted by academics, who don't experience these problems, it was decided to involve those who do and reorient them as the experts, through self-advocacy groups."The collected information will be taken to different government departments to engage and draw government's attention to the extent of these problems."..