PE teen raped after meeting Facebook stranger

A Port Elizabeth teenager has been raped – allegedly after meeting a stranger she had met on Facebook.

The incident on Monday afternoon brings to nine the number of similar cases linked to social media reported since April.

In September, police issued a warning after eight similar cases in which women between the ages of 18 and 25 were befriended by their alleged attackers online.

Police spokesman Captain Andre Beetge said in the latest incident, the 18-year-old was raped in Motherwell NU 29 at about 4pm on Monday.

“She had fallen victim to the attacker after he sweet talked her and introduced himself as being a popular soccer player. He then convinced her that a friend of his would bring her to his house,” Beetge said.

“The meet happened however the so called ‘friend’ threatened her with a screwdriver and took her to a remote location in the bushes close to the Motherwell reservoir where she was raped.”

Beetge said sexual predators had moved from using Mxit a few years ago to Facebook to target their victims.

“Online social media platforms such as Facebook are valuable tools used by community and business professionals all over the world to link up and socialise with family, friends and contacts. We are now seeing the darker side which is slowly showing its face,” he said.

“In all of these cases, the suspects have created fake profiles and use these profiles to appear as genuine and successful businessmen or stars.”

Cluster commander Major-General Dawie Rabie appealed to social media users to not befriend anyone they do not know.

“We want to warn the community to take special precautions when socialising on social networks and to not to give out personal information or agreeing to meet persons alone for the first time,” he warned.

“Persons met on social networks are still to be regarded as strangers until the time when proven legitimate and true reflections of who they say they are.”

The cases are being investigated by the Motherwell Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit.