Johannesburg - Two weeks ago, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) was lauding its anti-rape facilities, the Thuthuzela care centres (TCC), for their dedication to helping women in need.
At a celebratory event for the centres’ successes for Women’s Month, The Star reported how rape victim Zoleka Mpanza said it was her ability to speak to the TCC counsellors that allowed her to heal from her horrendous ordeal.
But by the end of September, the 39 centres countrywide that have counsellors to assist survivors of sexual assault will be reduced to 14, with international donor funding cuts said to be responsible.
And without such counselling, it’s estimated that thousands of rape victims could be affected.
Shukumisa, an NGO that assists rape victims, has noted that at most of the centres, the counselling services would either be considerably reduced or withdrawn altogether unless the NPA took drastic action.
Last week, a post-rape care seminar at Constitution Hill in Joburg revealed that there was a dire need for such care, particularly mental health services.
“Not enough is being done to support rape survivors, and funding for a range of psychosocial support services is critical,” the campaign said.
“One seminar attendee, a social worker, said the TCC model of reducing the life cycle of rape cases and treating victims with respect was good but in reality it wasn’t working. She claimed the centres were not achieving their goals and complained about infighting between health officials and other TCC stakeholders. This was also hampering the provision of counselling services,” it said.
Lisa Vetten from the Wits City Institute, an independent expert who assisted in Shukumisa’s analysis of the TCC funding problem, said a loss of counsellors could mean psychological setbacks for thousands of rape victims.
She said the international donor, Swiss-based Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, would no longer be providing assistance to the centres, and that it was up to the NPA, the Department of Health, the Department of Social Development (DSD) and other TCC affiliates to ensure the counselling crisis was resolved.
Vetten said the other affiliates were simply passing the buck to the NPA to resolve the issue.
DSD spokeswoman Lumka Oliphant referred queries to the NPA, saying it was up to the authority to approach the department for assistance.
Queries were also sent to the Department of Health, which said it could not comment on behalf of the NPA.
NPA spokesman Luvuyo Mfaku acknowledged that counselling was an essential TCC service.
“To render these services, NGOs rely on donor funding. In respect of TCCs, the Global Fund supported these NGOs to deliver the said services. However, we were indeed advised by Nacosa (Networking HIV/Aids Community of South Africa) that Global Fund funding to South Africa had been reduced,” he wrote.
Mfaku did not elaborate on whether a concrete plan had been formulated to save the counselling services.
“We are engaged in discussions with the relevant role-players with a view to finding a solution to address the matter. It must be noted that as part of the TCC model, immediate trauma containment services are being provided by victim assistant officers at the TCCs for all matters referred to or reported at the TCC.”
The Star