As we approach 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children, the recent statistics show it is going to take more than just speeches from politicians to fix a fundamentally broken and unfair society.
The Eastern Cape has a high rate of violent crime. Crime statistics show on average more than 22 people in the province are sexually assaulted every day, with the vast majority of these being women.
Even more heartbreaking is a recent parliamentary response from safety and liaison MEC Weziwe Tikana, which shows almost half of the sexual offences’ victims in the province over the last financial year, were under the age of 20.
Shockingly, 476 of the victims (5.98%) were younger than six years old, and 1,179 (14.8%) were aged between seven and 13. That means on average more than four children younger than 13 are sexually assaulted every day.
This brutal figure is a sad indictment of the utter collapse of the moral fabric of our society.
Sadly, when looking at whether those responsible for sexual offences against women and children have been brought to justice, the last financial year only saw 1,018 convictions. That’s roughly one criminal convicted for every eight crimes reported.
This places a huge onus on those responsible for the care of children to ensure their safety and means parents, extended families, educators and communities need to play a greater role in keeping children safe.
More needs to be done to ensure that sexual predators are brought to book and, once convicted, that they are placed on the National Register for Sex Offenders.
Those in positions of authority involving the care of children also need to ensure this list is used to deny predators’ access to children.
What all of the above highlights is the crying need for a well-trained police service, where there are highly skilled detectives with the necessary forensic qualifications who can track down perpetrators and present the necessary evidence tol ensure convictions.
The SAPS must also create an environment where victims feel confident to come forward and tell their stories.
Victims of sexual offences battle to report the crime, with some studies showing as few as one out of every 10 women who have been raped report the incident to the police.
How is it then, that of the 196 police stations in the province, 43 do not have victim-friendly rooms?
In 2017, then minister of police Fikile Mbalula said victims should be treated with respect and dignity, interviewed by trained police officials in a victim sensitive manner in a victim friendly room.
How is it then possible that a little boy, who was allegedly sexually assaulted by a man who lived down the road from him, was mocked and turned away by police at not one, but two police stations?
Turning our attention to domestic abuse, a separate parliamentary response reveals that of the 5,187 incidents where violation of domestic violence protection orders was reported in the province during 2017-18, only 4,288 went to court and of those, only 866 were successfully prosecuted.
These are women who have turned to the courts to protect them from abusive partners. What is that protection worth if less than a quarter of those who violate the protection order, are successfully prosecuted?
More needs to be done. Lip service to a campaign for 16 days out of 365 is clearly not making a difference!
The solution to this problem requires a whole society approach. There needs to be strong political will that will take the necessary actions to make a difference and bring about real change.
Personal safety is a prerequisite for creating an environment in which South Africans can thrive.
In the DA’s vision of one SA for all, children are kept safe from harm and women are able to walk in cities and townships without fear. Criminals are caught promptly and prosecuted speedily, and victims of crime receive appropriate support and are treated with compassion.
This is what the freedom envisaged by the constitution is about. South Africans do not have to accept crime as an unavoidable part of their lives.
A DA-led government would implement policy in support of:
A police service that is properly equipped, well trained and able to recognise and respond rapidly and effectively to any threat to the personal safety of citizens;
A justice system that has the necessary independence and resources to ensure those prosecuted receive a fair and speedy trial and, if found guilty, are appropriately punished;
A correctional service system that allows people convicted of crimes to be securely detained and offers effective rehabilitation to ensure the level of criminality in our society is reduced over time; and
A support system that is attuned to the needs of the victims of crime.
Although there are many dedicated and committed police officers, a DA-led government would completely overhaul the SAPS, curbing corruption, hiring people with a passion for policing and retraining them with the right skills to make the police force honest, professional and one that serves and protects all.
Bobby Stevenson is a DA MPL and shadow MEC for safety and security...