Domestic violence in South Africa, as in many countries, is an ongoing issue that is faced by many men and women on a daily basis.
There are, however many resources available to those who find themselves in these unfortunate situations.
Kouga Express spoke to Constable Wimpie Azenha, of the family violence unit (FCS) of the SAPS Humansdorp to find out what one can do in such a situation.
1. The first thing to do is try to remove yourself from the dangerous situation, for example, by going to a neighbour’s house or locking yourself in a room. Going to stay with family or friends temporarily is also an option.
2. It is important to note that the SAPS members who work at the station are trained as first responders and should always be the first point of contact. Do not contact detectives or special divisions such as FCS in an emergency situation.
3. Once you have removed yourself from the immediate danger it is very important to contact your local police station as soon as possible. This can be done via telephone or going to the station and reporting the incident.
4. The police officer on duty must then advise you of the options available to you which include:
a) Recording the incident in the domestic violence register which is held at each individual police station.
b) It is important to know that incidents should be recorded even if the complainant does not wish for any further action to be taken by police. This ensures that there is a record of incidents should action need to be taken at a later stage.
c) The respondent is not informed of this entry into the register, thus it is completely safe for the victim to report it in this manner.
d) The complainant will receive a document with an incident number on it, as well as contact numbers of institutions such as ambulances, trauma counsellors and safe havens in the area.
e) If the incident contains all the elements of a crime, the complainant can choose to open a criminal case.
f) It is important to know that police officers may not refuse to open a case where all the elements of a crime are present. They may not send the complainant away in such an event to come back at a later stage.
g) If need be, the complainant may apply for a protection order against the respondent. The police will assist the complainant with their application to do so.
5. The first priority of police in such an instance will always be to ensure the safety of the victim and all other administrative tasks are secondary to this.
6. If a complainant is dissatisfied with the assistance received from the police the matter should be reported to the station commander.
