By Zavela Makwabe
A Thuthuzela Care Centre has been opened in Komani, Eastern Cape to help young girls who are victims of gender-based violence (GBV).
This comes after a 13-year-old little girl was gang raped at a local boarding school and no trauma care was arranged for her. The incident, which ended up receiving the attention of the Human Rights Commission, took place a month before it was reported. The child, however, did not receive psychological assistance even after the incident was with the authorities.
The centre for child victims of sexual crimes was launched by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Komani’s Frontier Hospital to help aid victims of rape and GBV. Currently there are eleven similar facilities in the province.
Thuthuzela Care Centres (TCC) are one-stop centres that are internationally recognised as best practice in the provision of pre-trial services for victims of GBV. The centres are aimed at reducing secondary victimisation, improving conviction rates, as well as reducing the cycle time for the finalisation of cases. The activities are led by the NPA’s Sexual Offences and Community Affairs (Soca) unit.
The facilities provide psycho-social support, medical treatment, and legal services on-site for victims of sexual offences and are located within public hospitals based in communities where the incidents of rape are particularly high.
“The process of reporting a GBV and/or sexual offence commences with the victim being removed from the public environment to the privacy and victim friendly TCC,” said regional spokesperson for the NPA, Luxolo Tyali.
“The survivor receives immediate trauma containment and is informed of the process that will unfold. A medical examination is conducted by trained medical professionals within 72 hours of the offence taking place.”
Tyali said TCCs also ensure that victims access legal services.
A social worker from the Komani area who spoke to Scrolla.Africa on condition of anonymity said cases of rape, even in the home, were prevalent.
She said the centre will speed things up.
The launch was timed to tie in with the 16 days of activism of no violence against women and children.
Pictured above: Officials opening the Thuthuzela Care Centre
Image source: Supplied
