63% of people who commit suicide come from fatherless homes
70% of youths in state institutions come from fatherless homes
80% of anger-motivated rapists come from fatherless homes
85% of children with behavioural problems and 90% of homeless children come from fatherless homes..
70% of youths in state institutions come from fatherless homes
80% of anger-motivated rapists come from fatherless homes
85% of children with behavioural problems and 90% of homeless children come from fatherless homes..
South Africa has one of the highest rates of fatherlessness in the world. 61.8% of children under 18 live without a father. Of these, 10.1% of the childrenโs fathers are deceased, while 51.7% are alive, but not living with the children.
Black children are the most affected, while fatherlessness amongst White children increased by 32% between 2004 and 2019. Only 33% of South African children lived with both parents, only 39% lived with their biological mothers and just 4% with their biological fathers.
In 2018, it was reported that 57% of children in South Africa lived with extended family, in government care facilities, or child-headed households. This excludes numerous fathers who, while living with their children, may be emotionally unavailable or exhibit abusive behaviours.
The absence of a father has serious and long-lasting consequences. A father is the protector of his family. He is looked up to and trusted to care for and protect the family from harm. He is the figurehead leading by example, teaching respect, discipline and responsibility.
A present father affirms his children by dedicating quality time and showing unconditional love and acceptance. This applies to both boys and girls. A daughter who receives affection from her father is less likely to seek validation from other male figures in often harmful ways.
Children raised without a father figure are at a higher risk for emotional issues like depression. Girls may experience low self-esteem, which can result in engaging in earlier and more risky sexual activity, teenage pregnancies, early marriages, and higher divorce rates.
Similarly, boys who lack paternal presence are more susceptible to exhibiting severe aggressive behaviours. See the first tweet above.
Social workers indicate that when he perceives the father as uncaring and indifferent, the child often internalises this indifference, believing that he is not valuable enough for his father to care for. Meanwhile, men who grow up without fathers don't understand fatherhood.
As societal roles for men and women evolve alongside the pursuit of women's rights, many men encounter an identity crisis and feelings of inadequacy, often failing to recognise the vital role they play in the upbringing of their children.
When a teenager becomes a father, he is still too young to be a father. He often does not bond with the baby and eventually moves away to start his adult life elsewhere. Further, many women discourage men from keeping in contact with children from a previous relationship.
The need for masculine support and security occasionally leads mothers into short-term sexual relationships with different men, who then fail to assume responsibility for the children they abandon as they move on to subsequent relationships.
Some mothers deliberately exclude fathers from their children's lives out of anger and spite, particularly following a messy breakup. Additionally, some fathers lack the determination to pursue custody or visitation rights for their children when faced with such obstacles.
According to Shiloh Community in Action, the Registration of Births and Deaths Act of South Africa needs to be amended to compel mothers to add the father's name when registering their childrenโs births. Currently, 62% of birth certificates do not have the father's name.
Dr. Jeanne Brown concludes that society's view of sexual morality should change, and parents should be "strengthened" to take up their authority and set boundaries to curb teenage pregnancies. "A law cannot be allowed to undermine parents' authority".
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