Cape Town - Fifty police officers from police stations have received training on how best to deal with victims of gender-based violence (GBV) and to make them better officers of the law.
With the growing rate of GBV in the province, there are hopes that this will only be the start on how to prepare police officers to treat victims with sensitivity and even assist with their own relationships.
The training was conducted by Ilitha Labantu, a women and children’s rights organisation.
Ilitha Labantu spokesperson Siyabulela Monakali said often police officers lacked training and that reaction to GBV victims played a huge role in facilitating and even cases reaching dockets or the courthouse.
Police members from Gugulethu, Nyanga, Khayelitsha, Lingelethu, Harare, Philippi East, and Lwandle Police Station were the first to receive training in a two-day intervention held in Philippi this week.
“As part of Ilitha Labantu’s ongoing training, the organisation will be conducting a GBV training workshop with members of the South African Police Service from Gugulethu, Nyanga, Khayelitsha, Lingelethu, Harare, Philippi East, and Lwandle police stations. The purpose of the training is to capacitate members of the South African Police Services with the necessary skills and knowledge to adequately address the scourge of gender-based violence and other related matters.
“Ilitha Labantu strongly believes that it is through our collective effort that we can effectively address the scourge that is plaguing our homes and communities.”
Monakali added with the rapid growth of GBV cases, skills were important for police to better understand their victims and their circumstances.
“Ilitha Labantu is of the (view) that ongoing training creates a capable workforce with an adequate amount of knowledge and skill set, “ said Monakali.
“Over the years not enough emphasis has been placed on the training and development aspect particularly regarding members of our police service. As a result of this lack of training, we have witnessed on various occasions police mistreatment of victims of crime, particularly GBV-related crimes which require a level of sensitivity and understanding to adequately address.
“With a rapidly changing socio-political and socio-economic environment come new obstacles and challenges for police to address, with ongoing training so that police officers can stay informed in order to better serve their communities.
“With particular reference to gender-based violence, which has reached incomprehensible scales, we need a police service that is up to task to effectively address gender-based violence and femicide and one that possesses the knowledge and skill set to be of best service to victims and survivors of violence and abuse.”
A police officer who has more than 20 years of service under his belt, said he felt the training would not only assist members at work but also at home with their personal relationships which often ended tragically.
“Sometimes police officers are abusers themselves and they do not even know it,” he said.
“They do not even know that they are also breaking the law. There is also a culture where police officers think they own their wives or girlfriends and it is important officers show human rights and dignity toward victims and that everyone has rights regardless of their sexual orientation or gender.”
Richard Mamabolo, of Popcru (the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union), said the training would assist in cases being investigated and was a valuable asset to the police.
“This is a ground-breaking development. GBV cases are among the highest in the country, and effective and appropriate responses to these cases can be meaningful in actually ensuring victims are satisfactorily assisted.
“It is a welcome move, and we hope it is replicated across all other police stations.”
DA Western Cape spokesperson on Social Development, Dan Plato, said their department also had a role in working to decrease GBV cases.
“GBV and sexual harassment are traumatising, egregious, and highly nuanced issues that affect many within our province and our country.
“At the same time, the department’s six-pillar approach to tackling GBV broadly in the Western Cape, takes a comprehensive approach to decreasing the scourge and addressing the needs of victims.”
Weekend Argus