Lockdown: 311 cases of domestic violence reported in Ugu District
The public, private sector and civil society organisations are urged to comment on the Victim Support Services Bill which was recently gazetted to combat the scourge of crime, in particular gender-based and violent crimes.
Some 311 cases of domestic violence had occurred in the Ugu District during lockdown, between March 23 and July 31, 2020, according to KwaZulu-Natal premier Sihle Zikalala.
The premier released the statistics on Women’s Day, Sunday, August 9.
Overall there were 4 120 cases of domestic violence recorded in 11 districts of the province during that period.
The public, private sector and civil society organisations are urged to comment on the Victim Support Services (VSS) Bill which was recently gazetted to combat the scourge of crime, in particular gender-based and violent crimes.
The call comes from Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu.
The VSS Bill seeks to put the victim at the centre of the criminal justice system to ensure that the rights applicable to the perpetrator are also the rights entitled to the victim.
Currently the criminal justice system focuses more on the rights of an arrested or accused person in line with section 35 of the Constitution while limited emphasis is placed on the rights of the victims.
It also seeks to bring to the attention of the courts the meaning of section 9 of the Constitution, 1996 which provides that ”everyone is equal before the law and has the right to equal protection and benefit of the law”.
Victims of gender-based violence, therefore, require this protection and benefit of the law in the same manner it is extended to the perpetrators.
The bill recognises that victims experience secondary victimisation and therefore it creates prohibition against such.
It provides that secondary victimisation is illegal and needs to be prevented at all times.
It also stipulates various services to be provided to victims, including the Department of Social Development’s psychosocial support services which are linked to the provision of sheltering services.
The VSS Bill advocates specifically for the legal representation of a victim.
It calls for the State to bear the legal costs for the victim in cases whereby victims wish to sue the accused for damages.
It also encourages providers of services to victims to be accredited to ensure that their services comply with the norms and standards as set by the Department of Social Development for all facilities.
This will include ensuring that employees of facilities are vetted against existing registers for example the Child Protection Register and the National Sexual Offences Register to protect victims.
“The Domestic Violence Act is also under review and is being strengthened to make it easier to obtain protection orders against acts of domestic violence. The bill will also impose obligations on the Department of Health and Social Development to provide specific services to victims of domestic violence,” said Premier Zikalala.
Read more on the bill at www.dsd.gov.za
The closing date for comments is September 16, 2020.
All comments may be submitted via:
(a) Post: The Director-General: Department of Social Development Private Bag X901 Pretoria 0001
(b) E-mail: Siza Magangoe on Sizam@dsd.gov.za; or Luyanda Mtshotshisa on LuyandaMt@socdev.gov.za; or Anna Sithole on Annas@dsd.gov.za
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