STATEMENT BY DENISE ROBINSON, MP
DA SHADOW MINISTER OF WOMEN, YOUTH, CHILDREN AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
14 JANUARY 2010
Victims Charter: Government continues to fail victims of crime



In South Africa many victims of crime point out they are victimised twice, first by the criminals and then by the criminal justice system. The Victims Charter was hailed by government as a policy that takes care of the needs of all victims but the government is failing to ensure that rights contained within the charter is upheld among police, court officials and other service providers.

The Charter sets minimum standards on services victims of crime are entitled to expect such as the right to dignity, privacy and protection. Despite the presence of this legislation, and the pledges made by the government during the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children, the government is largely ineffective in ensuring that victims are treated in a manner that is sensitive and fair and consistent across all the different relevant service providers (police stations, courts, hospitals etc).

This was highlighted in a research report on the Victim’s Charter made available this week to parliament by the Gender Equality Commission, which revealed that training received on the Victims’ Charter is inconsistent. While some police stations have training in place others don’t. The report found some court personnel to be ignorant on the Charter too. It found two Northern Cape magistrates working at regional court level of the sexual offences court having no knowledge of what the Victims’ Charter was about.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) believes that by not placing more emphasis on the rights of victims of crime, the government is failing to fulfill a key responsibility to the citizens of this country. Upholding the rights of victims must become a central focus of the criminal justice system.

To improve this imbalance the government should ensure that:

1. Committees with oversight and decision making powers are more proactive and place pressure for additional funds to be made available to enhance the charters and polices that exist.

2. A victim support training centre is established where police and other relevant officials within the criminal justice system should be required to take courses on how to protect and uphold rights of victims as part of their basic and advanced training.

Further there should be an establishment of a state fund for victims of violent crime. The fund should be specifically for emotional and psychological trauma. Given that suffering invariably caused to the most vulnerable members of society such as the poor and their dependents there is a need for such victims to receive compensation.

Parliamentary questions will be posed questioning how the government plans to ensure that Victims Charter is properly upheld and implemented in 2010.