Cape Town - As Women’s Month came to a close on Wednesday, Victoria Hospital in Wynberg received a boost in its response to the management of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases through a new Thuthuzela Care Centre.
Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola was joined by the National Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Shamila Batohi to officially open the doors of the latest facility on Wednesday, the eighth in the province.
Two more such centres are expected to be opened in Stellenbosch and Mitchells Plain.
Services at these facilities include psycho-social support, medical treatment and legal services on site.
The launch was made possible through a number of partners, including the provincial department of Health and Wellness and Spar who donated food on Wednesday and is expected to continue with this support in the long run.
“The launch of this Thuthuzela care centre signals the continuation of work against sexual offences. The Thuthuzela care centres help us ensure that everyone committing sexual offence gets arrested, and that a conviction is secured.
This is the biggest deterrent to crime, that everyone knows that if they commit a crime the chances of them being arrested and convicted are very high.
I am pleased that we gather here today as a fully-fledged community. The fight against Gender Based Violence requires all of us,” said Lamola.
He said if the battle against GBV was exclusively left to the government, the country would not succeed in the fight against the scourge.
Batohi said the centres assist in getting higher conviction rates.
“The centre means the victim will get all of the support they need in a safe environment.
In order to have a successful prosecution a witness who is the victim is needed.
Also importantly DNA and forensic evidence is needed.
This kind of collaborative approach of the centre means evidence is obtained quickly and the chances of getting a successful prosecution at the end of the day is much higher. That is why the conviction rates of cases that go through the one-stop centres are much higher,” she said.
Health and Wellness MEC Nomafrench Mbombo said:“I want every woman to know that our services are available 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and that because of Thuthuzela, they don’t have to wait in an emergency centre to receive care. They can come straight here.
“We partner with Thuthuzela because we know women need these specialised healthcare services due to high levels of sexual abuse we see in our society, but this does not root out the problem. Our hospital statistics are showing the frightening reality on the ground, which our women are facing daily,” said Mbombo.
Cape Times