Children on ‘slut’ list fear for their lives

Jarred* was on his way to church on Sunday when a man tried to steal the chain his late mother left to him.

He has become a target in the neighbourhood of Atlantis in Cape Town after his name appeared on a “slut” list known as the “Final Official Jintoe List 2018”.

No one knows who compiled the list but 31 girls and boys are named and linked to alleged promiscuousness. Jarred is called a “vuil moffie” (dirty homosexual) who had sex with half of his class and even his cousins.

Now the youngster‚ who is openly bisexual‚ fears for his life and doesn’t know who to turn to for help. He is an orphan and lives with his brother.

“The man said if I refused to give the chain‚ I should bend over and do the things I did on the list‚” said the 18-year-old‚ who denied the allegations made on the list which has caused mayhem in the area.

One 14-year-old‚ whose name also appeared on the list‚ tried to commit suicide because the community suspected she had compiled the list.

She injected herself with her mother’s insulin after about 60 people marched to her house.

“I have lost all my friends‚ some of my family don’t want to speak to me and teachers even threatened to have me expelled from school‚” said Jarred.

A mother of another victim said after the list was sent to her 14-year-old daughter on Thursday the family has been going through hell.

The author of the list claimed her child has oral sex with a boy at a MyCiti bus stop.

“My daughter doesn’t even take a bus!” said the woman.

“The person who drew up the list should go to jail…I decided I am not going to leave it at this. It is really affecting the children badly.”

She said a similar list made the rounds a few years ago. Many of the victims dropped out of school and some are wondering the streets now.

In addition there are parents who doubt their children she said. And this has led to tension at home.

Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk has called on parents to go to the Atlantis police station with their children “so that the necessary statements can be obtained”.

Recently similar lists were shared on social media in Stellenbosch and Wellington.

In a statement‚ police from Wellington indicated that cybercrime is growing rapidly because criminals are able to exploit the speed‚ convenience and anonymity of the internet. Police went on to say that the lists are unlawful as it infringes on the dignity or privacy of the children.

“We will use the technology at our disposal to plot those that commit cybercrime. We will not hesitate to arrest the culprits and bring them to book‚” said Wellington Police Station acting commander Lieutenant-Colonel Boetie Rossouw in a statement issued earlier this month.

This week Social Development MEC Albert Fritz said psycho-social counselling support for the 31 children from Atlantis would be made available.

“This is a case of cyber-bullying‚ and is being viewed in a serious light. It is worrying that the sex list‚ which has been derogatorily labelled a ‘Jintoe’ list‚ alleges sexual conduct‚ and possibly abuse of minors‚” said Fritz in a statement.

“Cyber-bullying can be devastating to the emotional and psychological well-being of those it targets‚ especially if they are children and teenagers. We are extremely concerned at reports that one of the girls mentioned by the sex list‚ has allegedly attempted to commit suicide.”

Jintoe is an Afrikaans slang term in the Western Cape for a prostitute or person with loose morals.

* Not his real name.