The Department of Community Safety and Liaison, KwaMakhutha SAPS and various stakeholders worked together to launch the newly renovated and fully equipped Victim Friendly Room for the residents of KwaMakhutha. The launch comes at a pivotal time as the community is pleading for assistance especially in cases regarding Gender Based Violence (GBV) and child abuse.
Head of Communications at the Department of Community Safety and Liaison, Sindiswa Hlophe said: “The department conducted a monitoring and evaluation programme at KwaMakhutha police station and it was discovered that their Victim Friendly Facility is not ‘friendly.’ Therefore the department together with KwaMakhutha Police Station and other stakeholders hosted a crime awareness dialogue with the intention of finding ways to curb crime in the area. The programme also included revamping a Victim Friendly Facility as it had no person dealing with GBV and Femicide matters.”
A trauma counsellor from non-profit organisation, Bobbi Bear, Sbo Mildred said the purpose of the Victim Friendly Room is to enable victims to report crimes without any prejudice and fear. The victim room is available to all people who may require help in times of danger. We are happy to see the new renovations and equipment installed which make the victim room user friendly for those who need counselling,” said Mildred.
She encouraged parents to support their children when they report incidents of abuse to avoid traumatic experiences like suicide. “Parents should not neglect reports of any form of abuse. Often children may be experiencing sexual abuse and need to be heard to ensure the perpetrator is arrested, ” said Mildred.
A resident from KwaMakhutha, Ayanda Xaba said it’s encouraging to see the government offering support to victims of abuse in our community. “Our community is known for being a crime hotspot and one can recall in June last year when a women was rapped and murdered in our area. Devastating moments make one feel unsafe. We hope that the launch of the Victim Friendly Room will yield positive results and allow the victims to be protected,” said Xaba.
KwaMakhutha SAPS Station Commander, Musa Zama encouraged residents to report crimes and not to shy away from assisting someone that is a victim of crime. “There are numerous cases of Gender Based Violence and child abuse that are reported to our police station on a regular bases. In most cases it’s lead by alcohol abuse and unemployment as the victims are generally scared to report the perpetrator who may be the breadwinner. We encourage our community to make use of our the Victim Friendly Room which is a safe place to report any offence one may see or experience,” said Lt Col Zama.
