I have heard so many times that rapists and perpetrators of violence against women and children in South Africa have no place in society, and that they belong behind bars.
At yet another opening of a Thuthuzela [crisis] Care Centre a Minister stresses the need to increase and improve services aimed at protecting girls from rape and empowering young people in general. Thuthuzela Care Centres are supposedly one-stop facilities introduced as an essential part of South Africa's anti-rape strategy, aimed at reducing secondary trauma for the victim, improving conviction rates and reducing the cycle time for finalising cases.
In one of her Thuthuzela opening speeches the Minister said "In just three years, 28 Thuthuzela Care Centres have been established in the country, with more than 34 000 victims visiting the centres for assistance. The group of children between the ages of 12 and 17 years are emerging as the most vulnerable group, constituting the majority (about 15 000) of the people visiting these centres,"
In theory the units have police officers trained to deal with cases of abuse and include forensic social workers to assist child victims in particular to submit compelling evidence in court.
Well hooray for that, but I know of at least three of these centres which have been set up on a wing and a prayer with a well meaning and basically untrained volunteer, or someone on a meagre stipend, manning these centres. However wonderful and committed they are, they have neither the skills nor psychological strength, nor contacts nor certainty of a future to be giving therapy and support through the traumatic months to court. Yet I know the police are referring some pretty grim cases to these women.
Of course it is better than nothing, or being seen by a disinterested policeman but it is yet another tiresome reminder that there is a huge gap between the rhetoric of Ministers and the reality on the ground.
And children continue to suffer.
At yet another opening of a Thuthuzela [crisis] Care Centre a Minister stresses the need to increase and improve services aimed at protecting girls from rape and empowering young people in general. Thuthuzela Care Centres are supposedly one-stop facilities introduced as an essential part of South Africa's anti-rape strategy, aimed at reducing secondary trauma for the victim, improving conviction rates and reducing the cycle time for finalising cases.
In one of her Thuthuzela opening speeches the Minister said "In just three years, 28 Thuthuzela Care Centres have been established in the country, with more than 34 000 victims visiting the centres for assistance. The group of children between the ages of 12 and 17 years are emerging as the most vulnerable group, constituting the majority (about 15 000) of the people visiting these centres,"
In theory the units have police officers trained to deal with cases of abuse and include forensic social workers to assist child victims in particular to submit compelling evidence in court.
Well hooray for that, but I know of at least three of these centres which have been set up on a wing and a prayer with a well meaning and basically untrained volunteer, or someone on a meagre stipend, manning these centres. However wonderful and committed they are, they have neither the skills nor psychological strength, nor contacts nor certainty of a future to be giving therapy and support through the traumatic months to court. Yet I know the police are referring some pretty grim cases to these women.
Of course it is better than nothing, or being seen by a disinterested policeman but it is yet another tiresome reminder that there is a huge gap between the rhetoric of Ministers and the reality on the ground.
And children continue to suffer.
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