In a disturbing incident that occurred in Tsetsebjwe this past week, two young girls injured each other after inserting sticks in their vaginas.

The two girls aged five and eight are suspected to have been playing together in the afternoon when they decided to play with their genitals. It is not clear what made the children turn to their genitals for play.

The next morning, the mother of the eight year old child realised that she was walking rather unusual, suggesting that she was in some kind of pain. The curious mother asked the child what was wrong and the child would not say. The mother then checked their child out and was terrified to realise that her child might have been penetrated. The mother further sought the intervention of the police.

“Yes I can confirm that there was a case brought to us last week with suspicions that a toddler had been defiled. However, investigations that have been done to this end suggest that it might have not been defilement. Investigations are still ongoing,” said Baines Drift Station Commander, Onneetse Gagogosha this week.

Gagogosha explained that the matter was a sensitive one and much cannot not be shared for fear of victimisation.

Meanwhile, sources close to the matter have revealed that the police had, when trying to crack the case, involved services of social workers in the matter. And when the little ones were questioned on what had really happened, they confessed to have been playing by inserting sticks down there.

A gynaecologist at Princess Marina Hospital (PMH) Dr Hasam Bayad said it is common for children to insert foreign objects into their bodies and this calls for close supervision when they are playing.

Bayad shared that when girls insert objects such as sticks inside their womanhood, they can bleed. "In some cases, they can lose their virginity but it is in rare occasions because usually when they feel a bit of pain, they stop and what will be spotted will be bruising.

An X ray will then have to be done so that we find out the extent of damage done," he advised.