Is the story about child rape in South Africa, due to a myth about curing AIDS, an urban myth itsel?

Over several years, I've heard that there is a belief amongst uneducated South Africans with HIV that sex with a virgin will cure AIDS, and hence there has been a virtual epidemic of child rape, and subsequent HIV infection. Is this proven, and if so, in how many documented cases; or is it simply an urban myth?

My daughter lives in Cape Town so I am kept up to date with the news.
Every week I get petitions from people about this subject.
This is an article on the subject. You can see the whole article
here http://www.scienceinafrica.co.za/2002/ap...
or just type Child rape AIDS cure into yahoo and you will be shocked and disgusted. a lot of the children raped are only 3 months old.
Male children are also killed and dismembered to use body parts as muti (medicine).

HIV/AIDS, the stats, the virgin cure and infant rape
Mike Earl-Taylor

Nearly 60 children are raped every day in South Africa and while experts agree to disagree as to the causes, or whether the pervasive belief in the so-called "Virgin Cure" prevents/cures HIV/Aids is possibly responsible for this deeply disturbing phenomenon, university researcher, Mike Earl-Taylor suggests it could well be a contributing factor, and a major one at that. Moreover, infant rape appears to be unique to South Africa, however, the Virgin Cure is not.
For an alternative opinion on this issue enter here

urban myth or not.... i have heard the same. 1st time about 5 1/2 years ago just after i had my daughter in Germany and the only English speaking channel was CNN. there was a baby on there who had been raped for that reason. have to say was one of the most upsetting things i have ever seen. education really needs to be stepped up over there!

From what I have heard on TV, they think that if they rape a virgin, that the HIV
will be gone. That is pretty sick stuff. If I were their government, they should
shoot him as an example to others that might do the same. The reason I say
this, because of their actions, these children have been given a death sentence.

Of course it's a horrible urban myth.

It's a myth. Those men are just like a bunch of wild animals.
They are not just raping young girls but anything they get hold of will do. Old women, men, monkeys you name it.

It is certainly no myth. I live in SA. I cannot provide you with proofs though. Try newspaper archives like http://www.news24.com, or google "south african newspapers".

If you are attached to a university, use electronic journal platforms to obtain scientific data. If not, http://www.pubmed.gov may provide abstracts and the occasional free access.

Well i became friends with a south african guy who was over on a sponsorship visa in england and the things he told me about life there shocked me to the core. yes it is true that some africans believe a cure can be found for aids by having sex with a virgin and my friend heard tales of children as young as sixth months were being abused so terribly. I am not sure if these events have been reported i wouldnt think people would have the means to report it but it does happen its unfortunate but it does. Im afraid its what comes from the lack of education those people have received in their lives. i would hope if there are documented cases then the governments around the world would start to try and do more to educate these people.

it does happen a lot in africa - reason is that men r made to believe that if they sleep with a virgin they will be cured of HIV - very sad. these men are animals to have sex with such young children, sometimes babies - they should be castrated i think as a punishment

they get this advice mainly from witchdoctors (african medicine men) who tell them to do it in order to get healed

sad reality but it does happen

This is no myth. As a former resident of South Africa the newspapers were full of stories of child rape. There are +- 350 rapes per day.

What do expect though from a president who is as thick as shite, he doesn't acknowledge the link between HIV and AIDS and refuses to believe that there is a crime problem in South Africa. Plus 75% of the population has the I.Q. of watermelon. No wonder they think that raping a virgin will cure AIDS, they're as thick as shite.