Communities must not keep quiet

16 Days of Activism

Violence against women and children is a violation of human rights that must be fought by all members of society.

South Africa is experiencing an increasing number of violent crimes against women and children. This is according to Major-General Tebello Mosikili, head of the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit.

The unit was re-established to focus more fully on gender-based violence. 

Maj-Gen Mosikili said the tide is slowly turning, with her department working hard to fight abuse in the country.

She said more than 182 000 cases of crimes against women and children were opened since the re-establishment of her unit in 2010. Today, there are over 180 FCS units countrywide, with 2 500 dedicated detectives who have seen over 3 000 life sentences being handed down to perpetrators.

The job of being a detective within the FCS unit requires a person who is patient enough to be able to interview and extract information from victims. “These cases require time... remember this is a person whose spirit has been broken. If there is a child who has been abused, sometimes they are not sure if what happened to them is wrong or right.”

Within the FCS unit there are also forensic social workers who focus on the interface between the legal system and the human service system by means of assessments, compiling of court reports and providing expert testimonies in court.

Maj-Gen Mosikili encouraged South Africans to take a stand against abuse.

“It is my plea that each and every South African must stand up and fight this problem and ensure that South Africa is a better place to be. The community should not keep quiet when they witness abuse.

“Women and children must be protected from the home and this will carry through to the community and the entire country.”