Healing Leaves: Breaking the Cycle of Trauma, One Child at a Time

In South Africa, the headlines often scream about statistics — 13,452 reported sexual offenses in one year, most of them involving children. But behind every number is a real child, living with pain, fear, and far too often — silence. During Child Protection Month, we sat down with Marte Kutsia De Beer, Director of Healing Leaves, to unpack why so many children are still suffering, and more importantly, what we can do to protect them.

Marte has worked in community development since 1997, and her experience is clear: South Africa’s legal framework is strong, but implementation fails our children daily. Conviction rates for abuse cases hover between 4–7%. Many victims are too afraid to come forward, often because their abusers are trusted family members, teachers, or community leaders — people in positions of power. Stigma, fear, and a lack of faith in the justice system all keep the cycle going.

One of the biggest tragedies, Marte explains, is that unhealed trauma often creates future perpetrators. When children don’t receive support after experiencing abuse, they may carry that unresolved pain into adulthood, repeating harmful patterns. That’s why Healing Leaves developed the Helping Kids Cope program — a trauma-informed training initiative that teaches adults how to recognize, respond to, and support children dealing with trauma. The results speak for themselves: caregivers in children’s homes reported seeing real emotional breakthroughs in children after applying Healing Leaves’ practical tools.

But Healing Leaves doesn’t stop there. Marte advocates for trauma-informed police training, better mental health support in communities, and most importantly — a cultural shift that demands accountability from those in power. She emphasizes that change starts at home, with parents building open, trusting relationships where children feel safe enough to speak out and be believed.

The conversation also addressed the harsh reality of underfunding and corruption within the child protection space. While campaigns like Child Protection Week shine a spotlight on these issues temporarily, Marte insists we need 365 days of action, not just annual awareness events. For lasting change, South Africans must pressure leaders to make child protection a real priority — not just a political slogan.

So what can you do? Start by educating yourself and your community. Talk to your children about body safety. Pay attention to changes in their behavior. Support organizations like Healing Leaves. And speak up when systems fail those who need them most.

If you'd like to connect or collaborate with Healing Leaves, visit www.healingleaves.co.za or contact Marte directly at marthe@healingleaves.co.za or 073 391 4774. Together, we can create a safer South Africa — not just in theory, but in practice.