SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE SERVICE

Presentation to:Joint Monitoring Committee on

Improvement of Quality of Life and Status of Women

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Introduction

Programmes to address violence against women Preventative Reactive

Linking the Domestic Violence Act with maintenance issues

Budget for women

Violence against women

Cycle of disempowerment that includes poverty, discrimination, violence and abuse

Role of women in shaping society - women’s issues are society’s issues

Massive impact of seeing women as victims - creates its own cycle of disempowerment

Through internal programmes and external services the SAPS can help to break this cycle of disempowerment

Key commitments of SAPS

Implementation of the Domestic Violence ActVictim empowerment, service and facilitiesTraining in gender sensitivity and protocols to deal with

sexual violenceThe transformation of the SAPS through gender policies Intersectoral programmes in support of crime prevention

interventionsSpecialised capacity in Family Violence, Child Protection

and Sexual Offences units to investigate crimes against women and children.

Domestic Violence

Implementation of the Domestic Violence Act (DVA) dependent on the SAPS

Take domestic abuse out of the privacy that protects the offender

Minister has challenged all SAPS members to become role models

Part of interdepartmental Domestic Violence programme

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Implementation of the DVA (1)

Implemented end 1999: All SAPS members trained prior to implementation

Total members trained 21098 (from 1999 to date)Extensive and ongoing training in 2001 - new training

programme developed on interdepartmental basis, submitted for accreditation

Funding allocated nationally for training (2001/2001 - R100 000 per province)

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Implementation of the DVA (2)

Problem solving approach in training, also focus on integration of services

Monitoring and evaluation: Report to Parliament twice a year

Reports from ICD and NGO’s informs programme in SAPS eg for ongoing training; and co-operation with other departments and communities

Interdepartmental monitoring programme

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Implementation of the DVA (3)

Protocols and guidelines for integrated service delivery: Social Development - Shelters, victim support Justice - Protection orders

Co-operation with communities and private sector - victims support, safe houses, awareness

Internal communication in SAPS and other departmentsPublic awareness

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Rape and Sexual Offences (1)

Reactive: Investigation and victimComplemented by VEP for all functional membersInterdepartmental process to develop strategy to

address rape - preventative and reactive. First project underway

Premise that not all rapes are the same - prevention must be informed by offender and victim analysis

Supported by public awareness and communication

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Rape and Sexual Offences (2)

Specialised units and specialised individuals at stations (FCS and CPU’s)

Specialised training for investigators, eg FCS sexual offences techniques, national instruction on sexual offences

Crime Scene management Gender sensitivity training Inclusion of investigation of sexual offences and victim

empowerment in basic training and in training for all detectives

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Victim Empowerment (1)

Training Programme aimed at basic levels of service delivery, treating victims with respect and dignity, entrench their rights to receive and offer information

1388 members trained so far in 2001 (total numbers of members trained 21000)

Improved facilities at stations

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Victim Empowerment (2)

Community based victim support initiativesPublic Awareness and internal communicationLimitation of secondary victimisationEmpowerment of Victim as witnessAllocation 2001/2001: R2 million

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Prevention of firearm related violenceFirearms Control Act can play a role in reducing violence

against womenWe need women to support this ActGun violence threatens and oppresses women, children and

young men Implementation of Firearm-free zones to create safe public

spacesLethal combination of alcohol and firearms: Can FFZ’s assistMobilise women to support and maintain

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Poverty and crime

President’s speech 1999 - connection between poverty and crime

Poverty Hearings of 1998 we learned that over 50% of women in South Africa today are oppressed by poverty

Presidential priorities include poverty alleviation, job creation, human resource development, rural development, urban renewal, crime prevention, combating HIV/Aids

These programmes can contribute to break the cycles of violence contribute to disempowerment of women

Priority station areas for Violence against women and children

NCCF direction: Identified 20 police station - highest levels of crime against women and children

Developing proactive local programmes aimed at reducing the levels of violent crime against women and children - programmes in 3 provinces approved

Reduction programmes to protect women and children from violence - aimed at factors that contribute to violence like alcohol and firearms

Local level community mobilisation and awareness

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Youth Programme (1)

Youth programme aimed at: Reducing risk factors to offending behaviour Strengthening resilience factors to victimization

and offendingCriminal Justice:

Children Awaiting Trial Child Justice Bill

Allocation SAPS R1 million , Donors R 2.3 million

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Youth Programme (2)

Schools Based Programmes: Partnership with Department of Education : Safer

Schools workbook, support for local schools-based programmes

Captain Crime Stop Adopt- A - Cop Implementation of Firearm-free zones in schools Awareness programmes to address risk factors like

alcohol and drugs