What Needs to Be Done

The work of WJW and its partners revealed major flaws and shortcomings at every step of the justice process. Survivors are repeatedly failed and exposed to re-traumatization, leading to disillusionment with the system. 92% of women surveyed reported that they had less trust in the system after going through the criminal justice process than they had before reporting.

Urgent reform and adequate funding is needed at every phase of the process to ensure not only access to justice for survivors of gender-based violence, but also that survivors are met throughout with a system that provides the care, respect, and dignity they deserve. The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, the Department of Health, the South African Police Service, and the Thuthuzela Care Centers (TCCs) are among the main entities that can help survivors of gender-based violence pursue a path in which they feel supported, protected, and respected.

Increased accountability and survivor-centered training for the police, medical practitioners, prosecutors, judges, and others working with survivors in the justice system is an immediate necessity. So too is enhanced accessibility to and provision of survivor-centered services in police stations, hospitals, TCCs, courts, and at every touchpoint for survivors in their fight for justice.

WJW shared the findings of this research project with the relevant Western Cape and South African government representatives. The Western Cape Government responded to WJW on December 5:

This is invaluable research that the Western Cape Government will be able to put to good use for our residents. While tragically it confirms much of what we already know, we deeply appreciate constructive efforts to better understand the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) so we can work even more closely with our partners both in civil society and in other spheres of government to combat this scourge. This kind of empirical data can only strengthen the on-the ground knowledge and experience of our officials and help us improve the work we currently do. We welcome research that adds to our body of knowledge and provides concrete evidence that highlights the various challenges survivors of GBV face.

Read the full response from the Western Cape Government here.

WJW and its partners continue to build on this work and fight for justice and accountability for gender-based violence survivors, including through strategic litigation and advocacy.