Murphy Roberts
“Justice delayed is justice denied” is the feeling of a group of gender-based violence (GBV) survivors.
The Survivors Haven Foundation, who support victims of sexual and gender-based violent offences, hosted a one-day work session in Atlantis op Tuesday 22 July with the Rights Lab.
The Rights Lab, based at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, is the largest anti-human trafficking organisation in the world.
Janine Passenz, founder of the Survivors Haven, said her organisation had previously worked op projects investigating GBV in South Africa, where barriers to achieving justice were discussed. “Together we worked op a message to send to the government and all departments in the justice system.”
The event last week was attended by 20 local GBV survivors. Of the 20 cases only one ended in the conviction of the perpetrator.
Other cases were in court for more than five years, Passenz said.
“What frustrates the survivors is that they don’t know where some of their cases are.”
She added some survivors had given up op their cases because they never received feedback from investigating officers with the South African Police Service.
Findings from vorige research with the Clooney Foundation op achieving justice for victims were also discussed, Passenz said.
She said from these discussions survivors compiled messages that will be sent to the government and all departments at the Department of Justice and police.
According to Passenz these messages will be published as an appendix of the report to be sent to the President and all stakeholders.
Also, one of the concerns raised was about the role of churches when it comes to victims and GBV survivors.
Passenz said victims wanted to know whether churches were ready to handle GBV cases.
The group wanted to send a clear message to echo through eternity: survivors will not fall for the empty promises of the government and all others who promise that perpetrators will not get bail when it comes to GBV and femicide (GBVF), especially in the coming Women’s Month in August.
Passenz concluded that a delegation from the organisation will visit the United Kingdom and Kenya volgende year to start a new project about gender-based offences.
