No Victim Centres at 43 East Cape Police Stations

Dear MyPE

A total of 43 police stations in the Eastern Cape do not have Victim Centres for people who have fallen prey to abuse and violence.

In many towns, the police station is the only port of call for victims who cannot afford or are unable to go elsewhere. Victims of violence and abuse need privacy. A distressed and traumatised woman or child cannot be expected to talk about rape in a charge office full of people.

According to a reply to a legislature question I asked the MEC for Safety and Liaison, Weziwe Tikana, many of the 43 stations which had not established centres for victims of abuse and violence were in remote areas and small towns.

Crimes against women and children need to receive greater priority by the SAPS. There needs to be help at hand at all police stations to protect the victims of abuse. Violence against women has become one of the most prominent crimes in South Africa and in many instances cases that are reported to the police often fall by the wayside with a minority of perpetrators facing the consequences of their actions. More needs to be done to curb the ongoing violence and crimes against women and children.

Out of the total of 12 896 protection order cases reported over the last three financial years, 9 334 arrests had been made and went to court, but only 1 934 led to successful prosecution – 689 cases out of 3 215 in 2015/16, 841 out of 4 205 in 2016/17 and 404 out of the total of 1 914 court cases so far in 2017/18. Click here for more information.

With this year’s 16 Day of Activism theme “Count me in: Together moving a non-violent South Africa forward”, the campaign is a chance for all communities to reflect on the change that is needed in order for our province to prosper.

I have written to MEC Tikana to request that the establishment of Victim Centres are prioritised at all police stations

The DA’s vision for the Eastern Cape is one of a safe and secure province where our women and children, in particular, feel safe and where they know that they will receive the necessary support.

Regards

Bobby Stevenson