Almost 4,000 people have been jailed for gender-based violence crimes and femicide in South Africa between April and September this year.
The South African Police Services (SAPS) released these statistics this week as the country observes the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said during this period the SAPS would continue to intensify its fight against gender-based-violence and femicide (GBVF).
“The start of the campaign coincided with the second quarter crime statistics release by the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu.
“While the statistics showed a positive downward trend in several categories of crime, the murders of women and children remain high.”
Mchunu said that gender-based violence (GBV) had become a national priority crime that requires a distinct focus, as it continues to devastate families and communities.
Speaking about the convictions, Mathe said The Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Investigations Unit (FCS) of the SAPS consists of 176 units across the country.
“The role of the FCS Detectives in the SAPS is to ensure the effective prevention, investigation of FCS-related crimes; and to ensure justice for victims of family violence, crimes against children and sexual offences.”
The SAPS said the unit had made commendable progress in the fight against the GBVF scourge in the past year.
From April 2023 to September 2024, the FCS unit registered the following successes:
– 16,668 GBVF suspect raids were conducted across the country.
– 29,150 GBVF perpetrators were arrested.
– 556 accused were handed life sentences.
– 480 accused were handed 20 years and above imprisonment sentences.
– 998 accused were handed between 10 and 19 years imprisonment sentences.
– 1,792 accused were handed between one and nine years imprisonment sentences.
“The SAPS has Gender Based Violence Desks at every police station to ensure that GBVF cases receive priority attention and such cases are speedily attended and responded to.”
Mathe said there are also 1,161 designated Victim Friendly Rooms (VFRs) at police facilities which include police stations, contact points, satellite police stations, two international airports and at Family Violence Child Protection and Sexual Offences Units.
“The VFR is a dedicated room within a police station to provide a space for victims of intimate violence (gender-based violence, child abuse, sexual offences and domestic violence) to ensure their statements are taken in private within a non-threatening environment.”
IOL News