The Western Cape’s Department for Social Development (DSD) has successfully implemented a Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP), which has seen its service reach 5 701 victims of Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
According to the department, the programme enables more women to step forward and seek support as GBV remains a second pandemic in the country. The number of people accessing the VEP services has increased from 2 518 to 5 701 over a one-year period as people make use of psychosocial support, prevention of ongoing victimisation, and shelter services.
The Democratic Alliance’s (DA) spokesperson for Social Development in the Western Cape, Gillion Bosman indicated that these programmes are needed to ensure that people are once again given a voice and help them get back on track, but there’s still a lack of urgency by the national government to support victims of GBV.
“National government has yet to respond to fix the unused forensic robotics machines which would help fast-track criminal cases of GBV and give victims the justice they deserve,” Bosman said. Bosman added that she commends the work DSD has been doing but will be writing to the MEC to enquire further on other support given to women and children who are victims of abuse, as well as their efforts to collaborate with NPOs in this regard.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Community Safety, Albert Fritz, welcomed the Western Cape High Court’s dismissal of the appeal of a life sentence by a man found guilty of raping his neighbour. The 45-year-old Albro McLean was found guilty on all charges of raping a lesbian neighbour in 2017.
Fritz indicated that it has been four years since the victim had to endure that ordeal, but the wheels of justice do turn slowly.
“There are consequences for heinous behaviour like this. It is a clear message to all would-be criminals, and this is a message we must amplify because this ruling represents a societal reaction to behaviour that we will not tolerate,” Fritz said.
Picture: Cape {town} Etc gallery