SEXUAL OFFENCES & COMMUNITY AFFAIRS UNIT (SOCA) Annual Report Adv Thoko Majokweni Special Director of Public Prosecutions This presentation will probably involve audience discussion, which will create action items. Use PowerPoint to keep track of these action items during your presentation In Slide Show, click on the right mouse button Select “Meeting Minder” Select the “Action Items” tab Type in action items as they come up Click OK to dismiss this box This will automatically create an Action Item slide at the end of your presentation with your points entered.

Introduction The SOCA unit was established in September The unit is divided in 4 Sections: –Sexual offences, –Domestic Violence, –Maintenance and –Child justice The staff compliment comprises of 11 African Females, 2 Coloured Females, 2 Indian Females and 4 White Females. The male personnel are made up of 8 Blacks, 1 Coloured, 5 Whites and 1 Indian, thus bringing the total to 34 staff members. 70 Maintenance prosecutors and 10 senior maintenance prosecutors are in the process of being appointed.

Objectives The improvement of the conviction rate in cases of violence against women & children The systematic reduction of primary victimization and the prevention of secondary victimization within the criminal justice system as experienced by victims of crimes of violence and indecency against women and children To increase the diversion of child offenders away from the criminal justice process ensuring their exposure to rehabilitative as opposed to solely punitive programmes/measures To ensure access to child support and thus deal with the feminization of poverty

Improving the capacity and number of specialist prosecutors Basic Training Plan was to train no less than 90 prosecutors within period Feb 2001 – Jan This number exceeded by 38 Prosecutors Child Pornography workshop held on 28 May – 01 June 2000 (47 delegates compr. of 27 prosecutors & 20 police officials ) Together with ICITAP (US Dept. of Justice) SOCA arranged the following training courses Sexual Assault Forensics – 6 July 2001 (58 participants ) Gang Investigations – July – Aug 2001 ( 60 delegates, incl. 9 pros., 4 mag. & officials from Dept of Correctional Services) Domestic Violence – Aug 2001 (34 delegates) Sex Crime Investigations – Aug 2001 (27 participants incl. 28 prosecutors) Intersectoral training on child abuse and neglect – Nov 2001 (170 delegates, incl. 38 pros) Advanced Skills Training in Prosecuting the Child Sex Offender – Dec 2001 (33 prosecutors) Feedback received was extremely positive – seeing the results in the surveys that have been conducted by IDASA & other Research institutes.

KEY AREAS OF INTERVENTION Sexual Offences Courts and their operalisation: For the past 4 months, the statistics for some of the Sexual Offences courts were as follows: PAROW: 23 cases finalized; 14-guilty; 9-not guilty; 23 cases withdrawn CAPE TOWN: 13 cases finalized; 8-guilty; 5-not guilty; 8 cases withdrawn WYNBERG: 27 cases finalized; 19-guilty; 8-not guilty; 10 cases withdrawn KIMBERLEY : 44 cases finalized; 26-guilty; 18-not guilty; 13 cases withdrawn PRETORIA: 17 cases finalized; 13-guilty; 4-not guilty; 37 cases withdrawn WEST RAND: 19 cases finalized; 12-guilty; 7-not guilty; 12 cases withdrawn BLOEMFONTEIN: 27 cases finalized; 19-guilty; 8-not guilty; 9 cases withdrawn WELKOM: 49 cases finalized; 27-guilty; 22-not guilty; 34 cases withdrawn PORT ELIZABETH: 31 cases finalized; 26-guilty; 5-not guilty; 22 cases withdrawn THOHOYANDOU: 30 cases finalized; 16-guilty; 14-not guilty; 5 cases withdrawn UMTATA: 26 cases finalized; 14-guilty; 12-not guilty; 2 cases withdrawn

During the current financial year, Specialist Sexual Offences Courts will be established and made operational in the following areas: NELSPRUIT UMTATA UMLAZI THOYOHANDO VOSLOORUS GEORGE

Establishment of Multi-Disciplinary Care Centres The Thuthuzela Care Centres were established to provide for victims of sexual offences to report cases in a private and decent environment When medical examinations are done, the proper protocol has to be followed, the said protocol having been designed to guide even trainee doctors in the examination of victims and the management of physical and forensic evidence ( damage control) New Sexual Assault Evidence Collection Kits were introduced to assist during collection of physical evidence and with training of doctors and prosecutors on the use of the new kits. In Umtata, 25 participants (including prosecutors, doctors, social workers) have received training on this The following Care Centres have been established: TCC Manenberg, Cape Town – launched in June 2000: (935 matters having passed here) TCC Nyandeni, Eastern Cape – launched on 11 July 2001: (70 matters having passed here) TCC Mdantsane, Eastern Cape – launched on 12 July 2001: (246 matters having passed here)

CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT Multi-disciplinary Training Manual (for Sexual Offences ) Objectives –To highlight substantive and procedural changes to present Sexual Offences Laws brought about by case law and legislation. This Bulletin will also take into account changes brought by the SALC in reforming the sexual offences legislation –Designed to be an excellent practical guide and credible academic work –To assist in deconstructing outdated stereotypes that exist (within the various role playing progressions) concerning Sexual Offences Will take form of: loose-leaf publication that will be updated on a regular basis Quarterly Bulletin on Sexual Offences –Will contain quarterly updates of latest developments in this specialized field as a desk reference for prosecutors –First installment completed and is currently being distributed

Domestic Violence Multi-disciplinary training manual Objectives –To familiarize participants with social context iro DV –To inform participants of laws and policies applicable –To provide an understanding of roles and responsibilities of all role players in Justice System –To educate on the need to support victims and to encourage information sharing between role players –To encourage early intervention and prevention of recidivism

Victim Assistance programme Focuses on needs of victims Plan to recruit 6 VAP workers as a trial exercise Make follow-up on victims after reports made, assess needs of victims, make referrals, educate victims about her rights,liaise with prosecutor & investigating officer, familiarize victim with court environment and processes. Prepare them for court – both sexual offences and domestic violence victims – HOPING TO REDUCE THE HIGH WITHDRAWAL RATE Public Awareness Workshops held to highlight issues pertaining to sexual offences, domestic violence and maintenance To date, campaign has reached women in 9 provinces Great success and positive feedbacks received – only downside is attracting a lot of complaints directed to our office

Maintenance During 2001, the need to create a dedicated and trained pool of specialized maintenance officers was recognized – It will please the committee to know that 70 maintenance and 10 senior maintenance prosecutors have been recruited nationwide Intervention – individual intervention in matters nationwide. They will be giving effect to the paramount nature of the rights of children and will add focused and specialized attention to maintenance matters nationwide Child Justice Major project Training of prosecutors and other stakeholders on diversion: 248 participants, incl. 172 prosecutors We continue to audit how many children we are able divert away from the CJS & we keep tabs on those that are in our prisons awaiting trial

Special Project Juvenile Court, Regional Court, Durban (YOC’s) Durban Westville Prison has highest number of trial- awaiting children (on 28 May, number was 712 children awaiting trial ) Prosecution-driven project October 2001-April 2002 : 99 cases finalized through this court Project very successful Also Verulam (KZN) – not as successful as in Durban, various stakeholders not as involved

Development of Anti-Rape strategy –Inter-Departmental Management Team (IDMT) –Chaired by SOCA, Dept. of Justice, Social Services, Health, Social Development, Dept Of Education, Dept of Correctional Services assisted by a global strategy development consultancy, Monitor Company