Cape Town - Over the festive season, there is said to be an increase in domestic violence, which is attributed to the high levels of alcohol consumption and drug abuse during the December and January period.
“The festive season is a scary period for domestic violence,” said Aziza Kannemeyer, chairperson of the Athlone Community Policing Forum.
“I don’t call it the silly season. It is the scary season because the festive mood tends to become a period of gross abuse of alcohol intake. We have a open-door policy, so women come and lay their complaints, we phone SAPS, the boyfriend comes with his sob story of having been drunk and then you’ll find them together he next day. A case that was lodged then gets dropped, and the cycle continues.”
It is a cycle many women find hard to break out of, Kannemeyer said, because of their financial and social circumstances. “The socio-economic conditions of women in Athlone sees them live in a family’s backyard. Usually it is the guy’s family, so when a woman gets beaten to a pulp, she’ll walk around for days blue in the face but will not report it, because then she would not have a place to come back to.”
Lucinda Evans, director of Philisa Abafazi Bethu, a non-profit organisation specialising in domestic violence and the protection of children, has noted a similar trend in the Steenberg and Muizenberg areas.
“There is an increase in the reported cases of domestic violence being reported to the station from Muizenberg station.
“We have lows and peaks – usually when it comes to the festive season, the dynamic in the family home is not so good. So alcohol is more consumed than usual. Most of the cases we deal with have a strong alcohol correlation.”
Evans also expressed her concern over the large number of children going unsupervised during the festive season.
“People are very reckless with children. Children as young as 5 and 6 are by themselves at Muizenberg beach. We do, however, have a rapid response team accessible within 30 minutes if children have gone missing.”
The Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children sees a decrease in the number of women who visit the shelter in December, according to residential manager Dorothea Gertse. Then as the festive season draws to a close, the centre often sees a sharp increase.
“Shortly after New Year there is an increase in reports, a 5% to 10% increase, and then you have overflow. We are not able to provide accommodation for everyone.
“There is a higher consumption of alcohol and drug abuse because there is more money available over the festive season and people spend more money on substances. This often leads to conflict situations.
“Later in January, the money dries up, and the partner usually demands from the woman to go find money.
“If she can’t find money, then she is the one who gets abused. In a lot of the cases, the women will be put out of the house.”
Gertse said the centre was always open to women seeking refuge.
“It is important for women to know that if they find themselves in such situations, the Saartjie Baartman centre is open 24/7, even on Christmas Day.”
The centre can contacted at 0216335287.